


End of The Trail

by kenipads



Series: Mate Rejection [2]
Category: H2OVanoss - Fandom, Minicat - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Demons, M/M, Tragedy, Vampires, Werewolves, mate rejection - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-01-19 02:23:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12401151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenipads/pseuds/kenipads
Summary: A sequel to A Trail to A cruel Memory.Jonathan will face a huge challenge in his way to move on from the past. With one of his sons following his father's footsteps. The other suffering the same as he witnessed back in the days. An old threat come their way, Craig and Tyler will be first to take the heat from that.A series of misfortune events that could either strengthen their relationship or end it, forever.





	1. Prologue

As promised, the second book and sequel of A Trail to A Cruel Memory.

Hope you'll like it. ;)

 

Have you ever wondered what life would be like at the end of the trail? 

After walking through this rocky trail, under the pouring rain, tired, weak and frightened; anyone would want to be met with a bright sunlight of a new day. A new opportunity to be happy in this world. A promise that would get fulfilled, and where a safe place awaits.

Craig, Jonathan and everyone that was wronged hoped the same. They were abused, rejected and wronged but they learned how to forgive. How to move on and live past what happened. They learned how to live with the hope that it was over; those dark days would never come across them again. That nothing evil would touch them again.

They were here, with their families, safe and loved. 

They thought that this was their happiness.

But at the end of the trail, the promise land didn't exist. At the end of this cruel trail, there was again a world filled with pain, loss and cruelty. A world filled with challenges. 

The real world.

 

**

Craig ruffled his son's hair and settled beside him to play. The three years old toddler was like any other kid. Full of life, energetic and playful. 

They adopted him once he and Tyler got married. It was a year back when Tyler proposed and thus decided to expand their family by adopting. This little boy grew on them, especially Craig who felt some kind of connection with him.

Daniel was abused by his father growing up. He lost his mother at birth; his father married his mistress who targeted this small, beautiful kid for her hatred against his late mother. His vampiric powers saved him from an eminent death, which lead him to the orphanage and now to the Thompson's house. Loving parents who'd give the world to him if he wanted.

Being at Alpha Fong's manor for this boy helped. He was loved by everyone, from the help to the Alpha and his Luna. Jonathan was like a godfather for Danny. Always taking care of him, playing and spoiling him. Even the boy grew to love him. He was quiet when they first brought him, but look at him now; screaming and shrieking, jumping and slurring. He was happy. He knew that he was safe.

They took a small guesthouse as their home. Tyler refused at first to live here, but obliged when he knew that Craig would be bored, alone and away from his only family and friends. Besides, his job as Alpha Fong's company CFO, he had to live closer. Raleigh was so far from his work place and would've meant leaving Craig alone all the time.

So here they were, Craig and his son playing with his brand new e-learning iPad. Teaching him animal names and sounds; always giggling when he'd read wolf and hear him howling. Craig got up to check on the food he left on the stove, when someone knocked at the door.

He turned off the stove to go check who was it, finding it weird that the guards at the front gate didn't comm him about any visitors. He knew that it wasn't Jonathan or his kids- they would've just walked in. He reached for the front door to find that Danny beat him to it, slurring his words and talking to someone.

The visitor got surprised when a little kid was who opened the door for him. He followed Craig's scent once he woke and was released from his confinement. It was dangerous coming to where he met his doom by's house, but he needed to see him. He needed to see the person responsible of him getting almost killed. He needed to see that smile fade from that face.

He needed to remind him who he truly belonged to.

He heard that he got married but wasn't aware that he had a kid. A vampire for a kid!

The boy in front him frowned at first for not recognizing him, then when he felt his powers and that he was a vampire as well, he smiled. One of his front teeth was missing making him look adorable. Black hair, innocent blue eyes and rosy cheeks. 

The visitor crouched and ruffled his hair.

"Where is your dad?"

The boy slurred and pointed inside. He stood up to walk inside but stopped when he picked up Craig's scent. There he stood frozen, shocked and fast on tears, glaring at him. He looked healthy and most importantly stunning. Just seeing him made him want to take him right then and there.

"Hello Craig."

"Brian?"


	2. Chapter One

Jonathan, Evan Fong and Logan Rivers

*Marriage life*

 

Jonathan giggled when he was tackled by Evan. He pinned him on the bed, tickling him like back in the days. His laughter was heard across the manor, indicating how joyful this household was.

But like any house, it had its own secrets.

"You tell me to eat dicks." Evan growled at him for insulting him when they were in the kitchen. Jonathan was eating a sandwich he made and Evan had tried to snatch it away, ending by him telling Evan to go eat dicks.

"It's your dick I'm interested in."

Jonathan mewled when he felt a hand inside his pants. His face red from laughing so hard, lips wet and eyes tearful.

"No, Evan. Hope is in the house."

The Alpha ignored him and claimed his lips in a sensual kiss that had him moaning. For a second there, he forgot about his daughter, or the twins that would be home any moment now. It'd been days since they did it, and in all honesty, he missed his man.

"Daddy!" Ten years old Hope walked in on them and covered her eyes shrieking. "Ugh, now I'm blind."

She squealed when Evan was quick to lift her and drop her by Jonathan's side. They attacked her with kisses making her laugh and squeal.

Jonathan loved that sight; of them on the bed smiling and laughing. He wished they'd live this way forever. It just, in the back of his mind, him and Delirious had that nagging feeling. That something or someone would ruin these moments for them.

Evan hugged him from behind when Hope left their room.

"I guess we won't be playing now, so how about a quick one in the shower."

"Hmm, so romantic."

Jonathan winked at him and disappeared in the bathroom. Evan was right behind him, shedding his clothes off.

During dinner, Jonathan noticed how Axel was being more quiet than the usual. Alex being himself, eating in silence and not sparing them any look or recognition. It pained Jonathan how his cute sons had grown apart. Especially Alex, who was going through a phase in which he hated them. He always expressed how much he just wanted to leave the house, and to get away from his 'fag' of parents.

Yes, Alex grew up to be a homophobic, not sure what caused that. He and his group of friends even started bullying his brother. If it wasn't for Evan who made them stop, and even threatened him to leave Axel alone, the boy could've suffered more.

But, irregardless, Axel was suffering. To suddenly grow apart from your brother. His twin brother! It was hard on him and it showed on his face everyday.

"So, honey, how was your day?"

Jonathan tried to break through the awkward silence, hating every moment of it. Axel looked up from his plate and smiled a little. Only to frown when his brother glared at him. He shrugged as an answer and looked down again.

Jonathan looked at Evan who sighed and grimaced at his boys. He hated it as much as Jonathan did. He hated seeing them apart, especially when his older son expressed his hatred for them. He was waiting to be eighteen to leave the house. And get this, their birthday was just in few days.

"I partnered with Lisa in a school project."

Hope cut in enthusiastically. Both Jonathan and Evan knew that she felt the tension and that she as well hated that. She was a good kid, a perfect daughter, always trying to get her brothers to make up.

"That's good, sweetheart."

Evan offered a smile and kissed her cheek. He glanced a little at his boys and shook his head with a sigh.

"Alex-"

"I'm not hungry anymore." 

Alex cut off his father and left the room. Delirious whined and Jonathan teared up. He was at loss, not knowing how he should act in this situation. He loved his kids and couldn't imagine being away from one of them. Alex was thinking of leaving the house. . .leaving him.

"What did I do wrong?"

He wasn't aware that he said it aloud until he felt Axel hug him. He looked at those blue eyes to find them dulled out from the pain he was feeling.

"I'm sorry, dad."

Hope joined them in a hug and whimpered slightly.

"I'll talk to the boy." Evan offered but Jonathan shook his head dismissing that. Talking to him would just make it worse. He was glad that at least he'd eat and sleep at the house; To at least see him everyday. He didn't want him to end up running away from home. Yes, he'd leave him once he'd be eighteen, but he'd know where he moved to then. He'd get to see him even from afar and make sure he was okay.

"I know why he hates us. . .hates me." Axel went on, whispering the last part.

"He doesn't hate us." Jonathan replied hopeful and Axel grimaced in pain-filled grin. 

"He does dad and that's alright. It's painful because he knew that I was in pain, hurt for being ignored by my mate, yet he did the same."

They all new that Logan was Axel's mate. The kid felt the bond since he was younger, and got stronger the older they got. Logan didn't reject him when Jonathan practically begged him not to. The nineteen years old wasn't a normal human, descendant of a witcher. A killer and hunter of the supernatural. He was powerful. Both were, and Jonathan was afraid that one of them would die bringing the same fate to the other.

"I'm sorry, son. I just wish I knew what got him this way."

Evan kissed his son's temple and hugged him. A look of regret and guilt filled his expression. He was blaming himself and Jonathan knew that.

"His girlfriend found her mate." Axel started, pushing away softly from his dad and settling on a chair. "Adina's mate turned out to be a new girl who'd just transferred to our school."

Axel looked up with a sad grin.

"The day he found out, he cursed me and cursed everyone's existence. It didn't help that Logan teased him about the probability of him as well turning up gay. Saying that his girl coming out as a lesbian was his fault. Emasculating him in front of the whole school."

"My baby boy." Jonathan whimpered and glanced up to where Alex vanished to his room and groaned. His son was in pain, losing the girlfriend he loved and been with for three years now.

No wonder.

"Even though, he's old enough to know that he shouldn't blame others or himself for something destined by fate."

"He's still young, Evan. He's in pain. He loved that girl."

Evan's expression hardened.

"He knew that she wasn't his mate, so he should've expected that happening."

Jonathan was about to argue back when Axel explained.

"I don't think the fact that she found her mate that hurt him. It's the fact that her mate is a female. . . I think Alex is afraid that his own mate would turn out to be a guy, since we're twins and all."

Evan chuckled dryly and stood up.

"He's a fool if he thinks that. Just for being twins, it doesn't mean that your mates' sex has to be the same."

"True." Axel and Jonathan nodded. "But, Damon and Demon are convinced that both of us have male mates. . .It's the whole reason why he's refusing to shift, angered by what his wolf said."

Evan dropped down on the chair in a state of shock. He might have been okay with Axel having a male mate but he was hoping Alex wouldn't. He needed an heir from one of his sons. Someone that would carry his name, inherit his powers and fortune.

Also, there was the part of what someone once said to him. Back then he didn't think much of it, and felt glad when he found out that Logan was Axel's mate. It was impossible and he refused to believe it.

Both his sons were mated with them.

"He's mate is a male?!"

Axel smirked at his bewildered expression and nodded.

"Yes, and he promised to reject him, no matter whoever he was."

"That's stupid." Jonathan balled his fists in clear anger. "He'd hurt himself, maybe even die if he did that. . .Why does it have to be like this?"

Evan hugged him when he started crying. Axel withered in clear self-loath. Him and his wolf evidently in pain remembering their mate. Hope teared up at the sight of her dad crying, feeling miserable and helpless.

"What else is there in store for us? Until when do we have to suffer?"

"Evan?!" Tyler yelled as he walked in. It was like an answer by the moon goddess to Jonathan's questions.

They all looked at the man whose eyes were red, swollen and brimmed with tears; holding Danny who was sobbing, scared and confused.

"It's Craig. He's unresponsive. . .He was bitten by a vampire."

"Attacked! In my estate?!"

Evan hurried out of the house, Jonathan and the kids following behind. Even Alex joined them once he heard the ruckus.

At the guesthouse, Craig was on his bed unconscious. Evan examined the bite, eyes glowing and face stone cold. He recognized the scent and it confused him. He was sure that vampire would never be awaken again. He couldn't kill him because he was mated to his best friend, afraid that his death would harm him too.

"Is he alright? Can you wake him up?" Tyler bellowed and Evan shook his head.

"He has vampire venom in his system, waking him up in any other way besides the blood of the vampire who bit him, would kill him."

"You mean he's turning?!"

Evan nodded making Tyler flop down on the bed next to his husband. He held his hand and kissed it, caressing his mate's face, and Danny did the same, asking his father to wake up.

"We'll need to find the vampire who did that to him and kill him."

Everyone got surprised when it was Alex who suggested that. He might have said that he hated them but Jonathan knew that he still cared for all of them.

"This is clearly a declaration of war. We can't sit here and weep while they practically mocked us and our security."

"I know, Alex, but we can't kill this vampire."

"Why not?!" Alex and Tyler yelled at once. Jonathan got startled a bit by how dangerous his son looked.

"After being ridiculed like this, and hurting uncle Craig, we better fight back."

"More importantly." Jonathan jumped in." You know who did this?"

Evan looked at him, guilt written allover his expression. He swallowed thickly then sighed heavily, admitting.

"It's Brian. The vampire who had Craig for years."

"The one who hurt him?!" Tyler stood up, heaving like an enraged animal. "You said he was dead!"

"He was. . .I mean, I had him daggered and locked up in a secure place."

"Not so secure apparently." Alex sneered. "You left a fucking rapist alive while you had every chance to finish him."

"Watch your tone, boy!"

"He's right, Evan." Jonathan backed up his son. "Why did you keep him alive? He hurt Craig. He broke his spirit-"

"And believe me I wanted nothing but to bash his brain's out but I couldn't"

"Why?!" Tyler yelled aggravated." Is it because he's a vampire!"

Evan was a hybrid and everyone knew that. It was part of the reason why he was strong. Bearing the soul of la chouette, or Amon.

"That's not it!" Evan was on his face, offended by this accusation.

"Then why?"

His expression softened looking at that disappointed glare Jonathan held.

"It's Brock. Brian is his mate and I couldn't kill him because of that."

"Shit!" Tyler cussed and settled back beside his mate. Jonathan bit his lip, annoyed and dispirited by all of this.

"Then we should find him and kill him."

They all looked back at Brock who was standing by the bedroom door. He smiled sadly at them and added.

"Even though he's my mate, I can never accept him. . .I'm happy with my wife and daughter. He means nothing to me but some bond."

"But killing him may end up hurting you."

"Keeping him alive is hurting me, Evan."

Jonathan noticed how his eyes teared up, clearly fighting with himself and wolf over what he was saying.

"We'll find and kill him, that's final. . .He doesn't know that I'm his mate so it'll surprise and distract him long enough for us to kill him."

"Brock-"

"Evan, let's end this." He breathed a hefty breath." I lived without him for years. I don't need him and I'm sure as hell he doesn't too."

He left the room after leaving no room for arguments. Tyler shared a look with Evan, while Alex looked in thought staring at his brother for a while before exiting the room. Jonathan looked at Craig feeling fury boil inside him.

This was it. This was the trouble he and Delirious felt coming their way. They needed to find him, and for the first time in his life, he had an urge to kill.

 

Logan smiled when his uncle stirred awake. His grey eyes looked around before they settled on him. He frowned in thought before he smiled.

"Stanley."

Logan's smile faltered and sadly looked back at him.

"I'm Logan, his son. My dad, your brother. . .was killed."

His uncle tried to sit up but he softly pushed him down.

"You're not at your full strength yet, and there is much to learn about. . .A lot had happened from since you were locked up."

He obliged, frowning a little as he mused. Then, after a while, his eyes lit up and glance back at his nephew.

"I need to find him."

"Find who?" Logan struggled to keep him on the bed.

His uncle's eyes glowed weirdly. It scared him that he flinched away a bit. A sinister voice filled the room as he explained.

"Him, my mate. I need to find that kid and kill him."


	3. Chapter Two

Axel & Jonathan Fong

*Helplessness*

A whiff of a strong scent woke Axel up, a hint of an earthy and musky tint to it. He hardly slept a wink last night; something else besides what happen to Craig troubled him. His wolf was unsettled as well, whining the whole night, unresponsive, which troubled him even more.

He rubbed his eyes awake, frowning at the intoxicating scent yet making his way toward it. It was captivating and alluring, making certain warmth fill his heart. His wolf whined a bit, urging him to get closer to the source of it, purring and fogging his senses with a strange sensation.

The house was quiet, being the wee hours of the day. He passed his father’s office and could tell he was in there, but that scent wasn’t coming off of him. It was leading him downstairs, toward the basement.

Descending the stairs to the basement, where the scent was stronger, and froze at the sight before him. Their basement looked different. Different from the usual personal gym he had been using for years. It looked dark, dim and ominous. A lonely sofa positioned in front a door; a man sitting on that sofa with his back to him.

He looked familiar, and when he stood up, Axel recognized him as his father. But how could it be? Wasn’t he upstairs in his office?

He carefully climbed down the stairs, the scent intensifying with every step he took. It had an attractive tint to it, warm and pure that had his heart flatter. The man who looked like his father opened the door to the locked room. Axel could hear someone inside the room snoring softly.

He wasn’t in control of his body anymore as his feet dragged him inside the room. He frowned when he noticed the sleeping kid on the floor. A kid that he recognized as his dad, Jonathan. He had light clothes on, torn and ragged. A hint of dry blood stained the already dirty clothes. He was peacefully sleeping until he was startled awake by his father.

They both looked young, and Axel gasped when he realized that this must be a memory from the past. Of what his father told him about, the abuse his dad suffered from by the former’s hands. Questions filled his mind of why being here? Why seeing it now? And what his father was going to do?

He watched with wide eyes his dad getting abused by the other. He witnessed how vicious and brutal his father could be, hitting the boy version of his dad and forcing himself on him. He watched him inflect all sort of pain and the other taking it in silence. A sad expression morphed on his tired face, eyes dulled out with no sign of life, giving in to what the other was mercilessly doing.

His father had mentioned that he hurt Jonathan but Axel didn’t think it was to this extent.

He couldn’t close his eyes nor look away, like some unknown force was obliging him to watch. Tears flowed steadily down his cheeks, eyes wide, horrified by what he was witnessing. He started mumbling an apology to the kid he wasn’t able to help. To his dad that was forced by them to accept their father back again.

His soft cries turned to sobs when the young version of his dad wailed and screamed from the pain. Then he couldn’t keep it in anymore, Axel let out a loud scream, and flinched away from his brother when he was shook awake.

Alex had a concerned frown, eyes studying him, brows furrowed in confusion. He was glistening with sweat, obviously was doing his regular, daily training.

“What’s wrong? And what the hell is this scent?”

Axel was still shaken up by what he saw; panting for air, tears never stopped welling down his flushed cheeks.

The door to his room burst open; his parents’ questioning eyes looked between him and Alex. The latter just shrugged, sharing their bewilderment, helplessness oozing off of him. Jonathan was first to approach him and Axel practically threw himself into his arms.

He sobbed harder, saying sorry over and over, breaking his dad’s heart. Evan walked his way and wanted to touch him, and that was when his wolf growled dangerously.

“Don’t touch me!” He snarled taking both his parents off guard. They all exchanged looks, Evan looked hurt by the sudden and unexpected out-burst.

“Honey,” Jonathan took his face in his hands and made him avert his glare of his father. “It’s your papa, buddy. What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

Axel’s glare softened at the sight of those kind eyes. He sniffled and started tearing up again, pulling his dad into a tight hug. Guilt consumed him, fully aware that he and Alex were the reason he forgave that cruel man.

“We made you accept him after what he did to you. I’m sorry, dad. I didn’t know he hurt you that much. I’m sorry.”

He kept apologizing over and over, and Jonathan felt at loss, not knowing what he should do. His son mentioning what happened in the past shocked him. Why now? Did he dream about it? Jonathan thought.

Alex shared his worry, balling his hands into fists, and seemed to be fighting with his wolf. Jonathan could tell that his wolf wanted to hold his brother. To comfort him and let him cry in his arms, but Alex was against it.

As usual.

“It’s in the past.” Evan stated firmly, anger laced his tone of voice. It was self-loath for sure which only saddened Jonathan more.

“I hurt him, we all know that. I didn’t hide the truth from you guys.” Evan looked at the twins. “I told you that your dad suffered by my own hands.”

“Hurt him?! You aimed to kill him!” Axel cut him off, standing up from his bed. He was shaking all-over, a weird scent coming off of him.

“He was a kid and you . . . you did those things to him. He was bleeding yet you didn’t stop.”

“Enough!” Jonathan bellowed, frowning at the memory and trying so hard not to cry. “I moved on. We moved on, so why are you bringing it up right now?”

He didn’t want to sound stern but the bitter memory clouded his mind and made him do it. He moved past that. He forgot the past and focused on their future. The memory was still there, taunting him whenever he had a good moment with Evan, whenever they cuddled or made love, there was a bit of doubt that troubled him.

Axel wiped his tears and looked apologetically at him.

“I saw you, daddy. I saw him do those things to you and I couldn’t stop him.” He sobbed, and Jonathan determined that this was the most heart-breaking sight he’d ever seen. Those stunning blue eyes filled with tears, red and swollen, overwhelmed with sorrow and regret, that made him want to cry too. His quiet son was distraught, uncertain and frightened. He was panicking, eyes and mouth wide, sobbing hardly in his chest.

Jonathan felt helpless.

As usual.

“What do you mean?”

Jonathan held his hand and made him sit back down on the bed. Axel had a faraway look as he explained what he saw.

“I thought I was awake. There was this sweet and strangely familiar scent that I followed to the basement. There, everything looked different. I saw papa sitting on a sofa looking at a room, then he stood up and opened the door. Inside, you were there sleeping on an old mattress.”

His tears never ending, hiccuping as he continued.

“You looked really bad, dressed in dirty rags . . . There was dry blood on them too! I was appalled at the state you were in . . .”

He trailed off when Jonathan looked down, pale and blue, bothered by the memory. Alex looked as guilty as him, regretful as he stared at his feet. Evan, though, had that stoic expression; unreadable emotions glinted in his eyes.

“Both of you still young.” Axel resumed. “And, he did that to you.”

Jonathan frowned thinking, and then he placed his palm on Axel’s forehead to check for fever. He was warmer than usual, and there was that strange scent he was giving off.

Something was definitely wrong.

“What’s this scent?” He whispered and Alex scrunched his nose.

“I don’t know, but it’s troubling Demon a lot . . . It’s weird.”

Too many unanswered questions. Jonathan stayed by his son’s side until he went back to sleep. The poor boy couldn’t stop crying, for sure scarred by what he saw. That was something Jonathan didn’t want anyone to witness. It was enough that bitter memory resided in his mind, sickened him whenever he recalled it.

He got up to join the others and check if they found out what was wrong with him, Alex surprised him when he offered to stay next to his brother. He watched him as he lied down beside Axel and hesitantly pulled him in his arms. Jonathan could tell that it was his wolf forcing him to act this way by how Alex’s face contorted. It was a painful sight but he learned to live with it.

As usual.

 

“Have you found out anything?”

Jonathan asked as he walked into the room. He ignored Evan who patted the spot next to him and settled by Luke. He was still upset about the fact he didn’t tell him that Brian was still alive, resulting in his best friend falling into a charmed coma. Also slightly dejected about what Axel uncovered.

He moved on, yes. And he didn’t want to blame Evan, but a small part of him did. Jonathan knew that what happened in the past would haunt him all his life, and now what happened with Axel, proved it.

As soon as he sat down, Tyler walked in as well looking horrible.

“What happened? What’s so urgent?” He looked at Jonathan. “Where is Danny?”

“Danny is sleeping with Hope in her room.”

The tired man sighed and dropped on the couch by Evan.

“So what happened?”

Evan, who was staring hard at him, explained with a sigh.

“Axel woke up from a dream, a vision, or whatever it was. He saw what I did to Jonathan when he was younger and . . .”

“He’s feverish and giving off a weird scent.” Jonathan added, cutting him off. No need to go more into details, opening old scars. Although it was too late for that.

“You suspect he’s in heat?!”

“That won’t be possible. Alpha wolves don’t go in heat unlike Omegas.”

Jonathan mused aloud answering Tyler’s question.

“But that would explain why Alex was saying that the scent troubled his wolf. He’s unmated which is why it’s affecting him.”

"Beside," Luke went on. "Aren't you an Alpha, Jonny? You too went through heat when Evan marked you."

Jonathan growled involuntary, he was just reminded with what happened in that basement, which even though he remodeled it to a gym, he still felt weird to go down there. And now, what Luke said, was like rubbing salt into his open wounds.

“I'm different and we all know it, so it doesn’t make sense.” Jonathan glared at Evan confused. “It can’t be.”

“It's possible. There is much we don't know about your origin, Jonathan. Also the fact my kids didn't inherit my vampire powers. So many unsolved mysteries I've been working on for so long now . . . And I think I know why he's in heat. . . But that would mean . . . his mate . . .”

Evan kept talking to himself making Jonathan snarl, demanding an explanation.

“It could be a spell.” He offered; brows furrowed at the disrespect his mate was showing him."I didn't spot any mating mark, not like Logan would be able to mark him with a bite, but he could've done it with a spell."

“No witch will be capable to break through that powerful and protective spell the shaman cast around the manor. Not even with his Witcher powers.” Tyler argued.

Evan nervously scratched his head, guiltily looked between them.

“The spell didn’t stop Brian from getting inside, and it won’t stop a powerful witch from cancelling it.”

“No witch is powerful enough, unless if you talk about another shaman, an elder.”

Tyler's anger was clear at the mention of that sadistic vampire. The whole reason why he didn't make a move to find and kill the bastard was Brock; also Ryan who went beyond his ways to look for someone he promised he could help in this situation.

“A Witcher,” Evan explained. “We've established that Axel's mate is a descendant of a Witcher, and not just anyone. . . I've just finished a call with one of the guards that were assigned to guard Brian’s casket, after seeing what my son was going through.”

He gulped loudly under Jonathan’s glare then added, a bit of nervousness in his tone.

“I had someone else trapped with Brian. A powerful Witcher to be exact. He too was released by someone, and he’s going to be our first and major threat right now.”

Jonathan scoffed and released a dry chuckle.

“Next thing I know, you’ll tell me that Charlotte is alive too.”

Evan glanced at him, clenching his jaw in clear hurt.

“Of course not! I killed that bitch for what she made me do!”

Jonathan rolled his eyes and hissed.

“Made you do, right."

"Jonathan, you're being unfair."

He felt bad that everyone was against him these past few days, but he had the right to diss him. He screwed up, big times.

"Unfair? You're the one who isn't sharing important stuff with your husband."

Evan's eyes downcast in shame or maybe anger, yet it didn't stop Jonathan from adding, mistrust lacing his tone.

"I know that trapping people is your hobby, killing me in the past didn’t seem to bother you, so why keep people who pose a huge threat to our family and friends alive?!”

Jonathan really didn’t mean to bring out the past, but Evan was irresponsible and it angered him. Besides, the past memories were rubbing off on him.

Evan’s face fell, guilt washed over his features. His lips pursed in an angry frown, balling his hands into fists.

“Everything I did was for a reason. Killing Brian, as much as I wanted to, was going to hurt Brock.”

“And the Witcher?” Tyler demanded with a defeated tone. “Why keep him alive?”

Evan ran his hand through his hair and tugged it a bit. It was like he didn’t want to share the information with them which made Jonathan huff loudly.

He looked up and held his eyes, for a moment there, he looked terrified. It was unsettling for Jonathan to see him like this.

“Chris was a Witcher that terrorized packs in the area. An elder who had immense powers that were seriously unnerving. . . He stumbled to my territory, and with so much effort I fought him off. He got surprised when he found out that he was mated to a wolf and I used that chance of him baffled, to trap him.”

“So, his mate is from our pack?”

Evan nodded and grimaced.

“And not just anyone. That day, the whole pack was fighting and I wasn’t in my full health. I guess it was when you were in the asylum, you must’ve been sick as well or something.” He smiled dryly then leaned forward before he resumed.

“I was overpowered by him, and maybe the kids felt it too, because the next thing I know, they were in the clearing with us.”

“No!” Jonathan gasped in realization, and sadly, Evan nodded.

“He stared with wide eyes at the twins, rambling about how it’s impossible for him to be mated to a supernatural being- forgetting that he was one as well. . . When I daggered him, with the help of the shaman, I couldn’t kill him knowing it’ll hurt one of the boys.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“I couldn’t, Jonathan.” He stood up and paced in the room. “I thought we’re done with it, and that the Luna will choose another one for my boy. And when Axel found out that he’s mated to Logan, I sighed relieved, mistakenly figured that Logan being the descendant of the Witcher, somehow the Luna mated him with Axel so the bond that was with Chris no longer existed.”

He sat next to Jonathan who had both hands against his mouth. Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes, lips trembling from shock.

“I was planning to go to Charleston, where I hid him, and finish him off, but Vanoss told me otherwise. Like he knew that something wasn’t right and I should’ve believed my guts.”

“What do you mean?” Tyler asked growing impatient. “Did the Luna made a mistake and mated Axel with two people who are still alive?!”

“No, there is no mistake. . . Axel isn’t his mate, it’s Alex.”

“Oh, dear. I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

Evan hesitated before he brought him to a hug, and Jonathan let him. Now, both his sons were mated to Witchers, one’s mate worse than the other.

“But,” Luke mused. “Why do you think he’s the one who did something to Axel?”

“And why Axel and not Alex?” Tyler mumbled in thought.

“I don’t know why but I’m sure it’s him.”

Evan said with total resolve, rubbing Jonathan’s back as he cried softly.

 

Axel opened his eyes and stared at those of his brother. He had that blank look which he always sported when he was deeply thinking about something.

“Why are you holding me?” He whispered, secretly thankful that he was. Just being close to him had the heat he was experiencing drop.

“I don’t know.” The other muttered sincerely then cleared his throat. “Are you okay now?”

He let go and sat up making Axel frown. He grimaced as an answer, brushing his hair away from his face.

“Why were you up this early in the morning?” He asked his brother who stood up to leave.

“To train.” The other flatly replied.

“You don’t usually get up this early to train.” He said suspiciously and Alex looked back at him with a stern glare.

“Why do you care?”

Axel huffed and dropped his hands on his lap.

“Sorry I asked.”

Alex made a move to leave but was again stopped by him.

“But I know that you’re planning something. Damon also can tell.”

He watched his body stiffen then relaxed, heaving a deep sigh.

“I’m going to look for that asshole of Vampire who hurt Uncle Craig.”

“Alone!” Axel gasped, cutting him off.

“Yes, alone. And don’t you dare tell anyone before I leave.”

“But . . .”

“Axel, don’t. No one is doing anything about it. Uncle Craig is in deep slumber, no one is sure if he’d turn or just wither and die . . . His mate is useless, helplessly staring at him day and night, while my father is the most disappointment of them all; Dragging his ass around the house, hands tied, unable to act on his own.”

He glared at Axel making him flinch in fear.

“But what should I expect from a group of fags.”

Damon whined and Axel’s face fell, feeling the beginning of fresh tears. He could feel Alex’s eyes burning holes in him but he couldn’t match his glare. Needless to say that he was disappointed and hurt, again.

He jolted when the other slammed his bedroom’s door shut.


	4. Chapter Three

Brian, Evan, Brock & Chris

 

*Them.*

 

"So this is his mate."

Brian said with smirk, holding Tyler's picture in his hand. He was a handsome man, tall, well-built, with stunning green eyes; he got to admit that he was good-looking.

"Too bad his future isn't as bright as his eyes." He added slyly and the old woman in his room just rolled her eyes, humming gibberish, focused, watching intently a goblet filled with some weird liquid.

"What did you say his wolf's name again?" He asked rhetorically; the name of that wolf was stuck in his mind, being the old Alpha of the pack hosting him right now.

The old witch hummed in an uninterested tone, hissing some words and frowning at the ancient silver goblet the more she glared at it.

"Wildcat!" He exclaimed, cracking a dark laughter. " A wild cat that have been domesticated can never survive outside. . . Pathetic. Right, my lady?"

He was ignored again and he just shrugged, glaring at the picture in his hand and smiling creepily.

This man is innit for a treat.

The fact that he wasn't taken seriously did bother him; It was what he could come up with from the non-retaliating group. He was expecting them to come chase him down, getting a drop of his blood to awaken the sleeping beauty. He got disappointed when they didn't make move. With the recent development this old hag of a witch told him, they seemed to be more busy than he thought.

Maybe they didn't consider him as a threat which angered him even more, or maybe they wanted him to make a move first. He wasn't dumb; there was no way for him to win against Evan unless if he weakened him.

He placed Tyler's picture and held another. The person in this picture was utterly magnificent, with his stunning blueish eyes, lean figure and that flawless white complexion. And he even heard that he was capable to conceive, three perfect healthy kids. Brian wouldn't mind a kid or two of his own. Jonathan looked just too irresistible to ignore.

He smiled wickedly thinking of a way to get this fine specimen to come to him.

"No, no, no. No!" The woman screamed, disturbing his day-dreaming about this new doll he wanted to own. He scowled and glared at the woman who paid him no mind, cursing and uttering cryptic words hastily, as she chanted to prevent something from happening.

"What is it?" He asked annoyed and frowned at the alarmed expression she was sporting.

"What is it, Diana?"

The woman met his eyes, her own glowing like the golden color of sand under the sun. They shimmered, radiating with anger and frustration.

"Another entity is involved. I should've known. Luna is trying to build an army of strong wolves, and she cheated her ways into doing it."

Brian was confused. This old woman awaken him and saved him from the hell he was experiencing in the world of in between, but she didn't declare her own motives. Now she was talking about the Luna and an army?!

"What do you mean?"

She didn't reply, casting a spell and hovering her hand over the goblet.

Weirdo.

"It might be too late to ask, but who are you and why did you help me?"

She blinked her eyes and they turned leafy green, a blank gaze was cast on him, like she was musing if she should reveal her purpose or not.

"I'm Diana, the goddess of heavens and the wilderness. I was sent here to restore order and set the balance that the Luna disturbed."

She walked toward him, an aura about her rendered her dangerous and powerful to mess with. She swiftly snatched the picture off his hand and glared at it.

"This abomination of a man should've never been born. If it wasn't for what the Luna and her host did, we wouldn't be dealing with them now."

"They. . . did. Her host?" Brian was unable to form coherent phrases, staring at the woman who clicked her tongue at the picture of Jonathan. "Who are they? What are we dealing with?"

She clenched her jaw and tossed the picture on the table, going back to her goblet.

"They're the worst nightmare this earth could suffer from."

She looked back at him, her eyes studying him and he could see the gears in her mind turning, steaming even as she fabricated and planned her next step.

"I can sense one of them is waking up; the rest are still in slumber and could get triggered easily. . . We need to capture their hosts before they'd wake up. As for the other, I just hope the hunter will kill him before he'd bring chaos upon this earth."

If Brian wasn't confused before, now he was. He just furrowed his brows at the woman who spoke gibberish to him, questioning her sanity. If it wasn't for the linking spell she cast upon him, he would've got rid of her and went on with his life, seeking his purpose.

Revenge.

He spoke his confusion and the woman sighed, settling by his side. Her wrinkled face showcased the wisdom behind it, a compelling beauty and power held his eyes, Brian found it hard to move.

"It's all started when the Luna wanted to keep her daughter alive. . . "

 

"But that doesn't explain why he had a vision from the past. My past."

Luke nodded in accord with Jonathan, frowning in thought. Tyler mirrored his expression, fatigue showing on his pale face. Evan, though, eyes narrowed as he recalled something.

"I remember when he was a kid, and before I came to get you, Jonathan, Axel had a dream of you being in that asylum. He wasn't aware that you were alive back then, let alone that you were institutionalized."

"How? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know either." Evan replied truthfully, his hands never stopped rubbing Jonathan's back. "I really don't know."

"For some reason, I think it's all related to you, Jonathan." Tyler went on, his green eyes glinted a bit, showing a sign of life which they lost ever since Craig was attacked.

Jonathan's brows furrowed in question, Delirious sharing his bewilderment. He could feel that she was considering something but didn't look that she'd share her thoughts.

"You think it has to do with Delirious?"

The room grew silent as everyone considered what he said. The fact that Delirious was a mystical wolf, the Luna's and Garou's daughter, chosen to be hosted by him. He the son of Derek and Mabel, two wolves from different packs with an average status. A Beta and an Omega with no significant powers.

Or were his parents hiding something?

Evan recalled how defensive and protective Derek was when it came to his wife's past and his son. How his eyes glinted with hidden wisdom, watching his kid with a concerned frown. Then, there was that surprise attack, those rogues that attacked them on his territory. Evan remembered how they didn't finish Derek and were being suicidal, going against him, just to kill Jonathan. An innocent kid.

"Where is Isabel?"

Evan hated always suspecting her, but whenever there was a mystery, she was involved somehow.

Luke looked at his phone and frowned.

"I called her and she said she'll be here as soon as she can."

"You mean she's not here in the manor?" Evan stood up, wearing the very look he had when he first discovered that Jonathan was alive. He was suspicious and mad. More like furious. Isabel was threading on thin ice for always keeping stuff from him.

With no response from Luke, Evan tried first to reach her using the pack link but it was blocked, making his insides boil in anger. He snatched Luke's phone, since he left his own in his room, and dialed her number again.

"Answer the fucking phone!" He yelled when for the third time there was no answer. He noted how Jonathan flinched, licking his dry lips, hands shaking visibly. He knew that he was losing control but he couldn't help it. That woman dared to hide stuff from him, again.

She knew something that was why she sneaked out to goddess knew where. Why now? Was she the one responsible for what was happening to his son? Was he wrong to think that the Witcher was behind this?

"Daddy!" Hope walked in sobbing in her pajama sleeves, panting for air, cheeks flushed and eyes puffed, filled with concern.

"What's wrong honey?"

Jonathan was shaking visibly, crouching in front of her and pulling her to his arms.

"It's Axel. He's in pain." She hiccuped.

Evan frowned that they didn't sense it, and his frown deepened when his husband tried to stand up and his feet gave in. He knew that he was losing it, stressed by all of this, making him worried sick about his mental health.

This only made him feel more helpless.

He hurried up the stairs to Axel's room, Luke supporting Jonathan and following behind, so was Tyler. The scent was way stronger than before that even he felt an alluring pull. He opened the door and found his son groaning in pain; tears streaming down his flustered face, grunting in pain and writhing on his bed.

He was pushed aside by Jonathan when he froze there unable to move. It was so troubling how his scent was affecting his wolf, and it looked like Luke and Tyler were experiencing it too. it had a strong whiff of dominance, a dark power that had Vanoss almost submit. Only Jonathan who looked unfazed, caressing his son's cheek and wiping his tears. His touch seemed to calm the boy, who closed his eyes and nuzzled his face in his dad's hand.

"Where is Alex?" Jonathan asked once Axel calmed down a bit.

Axel looked at them, focusing on his dad's face as he panted.

"He left . . . to find and kill . . . vampire."

"That stupid brat!" Evan hissed and pushed past Luke to go find his son. He first linked Brock to come and help, and glowered when his call was ignored.

 

Brock looked at Alex and smiled meekly.

"Your father is trying to reach me."

The boy stopped in his tracks and scowled.

"Go back and perform your duty as his Beta. Being the coward he is right now, he must need you to do his dirty work."

Humming, Brock studied the woods, listening carefully for any upcoming threats.

"And leave you fight alone? Nah, Evan would have me neutered if so."

He giggled a bit yet Alex didn't show any sign of a smile. Brock noticed how he was exactly as his father, so serious, stubborn, and proud. He just shook his head and started walking, knowing quite well that Alex would follow.

Briefly later, Alex stood in front of him forcing him to stop. His eyes showed a little bit of care as he hesitantly uttered.

"You know that I'm going to kill your mate?"

Brock nodded, smiling gently.

"Alex, I know you like the back of my hand. I watched you grow up and know when you're thinking of something, forgive me for saying this, stupid. The moment I saw you pawing toward the woods, I knew what you're planning and what you think you'd do."

"Then why follow me?" Alex said rather annoyed, for sure not appreciating being called stupid.

"Because, Alex." Brock went on with a sigh. " Because I'm as stupid as you are, trying to fix something once and for all. I want your parents to be happy for once. I want to erase a threat that Evan kept alive for my sake."

He chuckled and patted his shoulder.

"You can say, I'm as proud as you are to not allow someone to suffer for my sake."

Alex didn't look convinced yet he resumed walking toward his destination, in silence. Brock admired this boy's perseverance, frowning at the fact of him being so close-minded, following his father's steps that would for sure guarantee a life filled with misery.

"You know, your father is just like you. "Brock started and Alex ignored him, pretending not to hear him. "When he found out that your dad is his mate-"

"I know uncle Brock. I know what he did and I think it's stupid, even though I condone the ending result of it."

"You mean the result of him rejecting your dad?"

The boy nodded, stiffly walking in front of him.

"I wouldn't be as harsh as him, rejecting his mate almost killing him, but yes, I'd sever the bond."

"But that's wrong. Why would you reject someone who's meant for you?"

That question made Alex stop and fix him with a glare.

"What's wrong is for two people of the same sex to mate! What's wrong is for someone who's straight to be mated with a man, and be forced by some unearthly powers to mate with them."

He stood in his face and gritted his teeth." What's wrong, uncle Brock, is to agree with such nonsense and accept the fact of being mated to a man. A man! That's just disgusting, making my skin crawl in revulsion and a sour bile clog my throat at the thought of it . . . Besides, haven't you done the same? If you can live without your mate then everyone can. Why just accept the fact of something you clearly loath, when you still have the choice of rejecting the other party and settle with someone else?"

"My situation is different and you know that." Brock calmly muttered, eyes a shade darker. "If he wasn't . . . Anyway, what I wanted to say is that you shouldn't judge anyone for who they are and who they love. Especially us wolves, finding your mate makes you feel whole for once that you disregard everything."

"I won't accept him." He cut him off sternly. " I don't care if my wolf oppose with me about it. I don't even care if my wolf abandon me, I won't be with another man."

"That's your personal opinion and I accept that, but why you force your morals on someone else? Why hate your parents, your dad, the man who suffered to bring out to life?"

Brock could feel his anger boil in, hating how narrow-minded this boy was. "How about Axel, your own brother; your twin?! The boy did nothing to you yet you spit hateful things whenever he was present. Like it wasn't enough that he was abandoned by the boy he loved. By his mate."

Alex made a move to resume walking but Brock who had enough stopped him.

"You abandoned him like his mate did, but you are far worse. He wanted to be accepted and to be held close, telling him that everything will be okay, that he has you as his support. You are by far worse than . . . than Brian even. All of this just because you hate the thought of being mated to a man?!"

"I am!" Alex shouted back, guilt was written on his face, masked by anger. " I'm fucking mated to a man, and apparently I have no saying in the matter."

"So what if you are?"

"You don't understand." He whimpered slightly, inaudible to human ears. Brock felt bad but he wanted to shake this boy's conscious to realize how wrong he was.

"Then explain, Alex. So far you've been acting like a total jerk, disrespecting your parents, your alpha, deserting your brother when he needed you the most, threatening to leave the house, stressing everyone and making them depressed."

"Matt kissed me!" He yelled and leaned on a tree, tears brimming his eyes but his pride didn't let them fall.

Brock watched him with wide yet understanding eyes, nodding for him to explain further, slightly happy that he was able to make the boy talk.

"When my ex came out as bisexual, openly holding her mate's hand around school, I got depressed. I refused to go back home that day and I stayed at Matt's."

A single tear slipped down and he was quick to brush it off, refusing to cry in front of anyone. It reminded Brock of Evan and he smiled at how much they were alike.

"We talked the whole night and he held me like Axel would do. He hugged me close, comforting me like the best friend he was. And when I looked up to meet his face, he kissed me. . . And . . .And I let him. Then when I realized what was happening, I beat him to a pulp."

"Is he alright?"

Nodding, Alex smiled dryly. " He is but he's pride isn't. He stopped talking to me which is understandable, since I too wasn't planning on talking to him nor apologize for what I did. . . But . . . "

"But?" Brock prompt.

"I can't forget the kiss. I can't forget how disgusted I felt, being that both of us always hated on fags-"

Brock cleared his throat in annoyance at that word, fixing him with a glare and Alex corrected himself.

"I mean, yeah. We both hated them, tormented and bullied them, then he did that; saying that he always had these feelings for me and he couldn't tell me because of how ignorant, self-absorbed and bigot I am."

"So you lost a friend too."

"Yeah," Alex nodded, standing straight and pulling himself together. "I lost him too."

"But that's not the only thing that's troubling you."

Brock confirmed, seeing through him, and the other nodded.

"I'm scared." He hesitantly admitted. "I'm scared that when I'll find my mate, I'll change too."

"That's stupid." Brock snorted and continued walking. He could hear him right on his heels.

'What's stupid?"

"You." Brock said flatly, giving him a side glance. "You think being gay changes a person?"

"Of course it does. Can't you see how soft my father became?!" He argued back making the other bark a laugh.

"That's called love, you dummy. Evan didn't become soft because he's mated to your dad. He became more cruel when he did, having the same ideals like yours. Love what made him soften, realizing after years of being apart from his mate how much he fucked up."

"But. . . "

"I'm not telling you to force yourself and accept whoever your mate is. I'm just saying to open your mind a little bit, by first accepting your brother and parents as who they are. Wait until you meet this mate of yours, and if you still think the same, then end it without causing any harm."

He stared intently at those cold blue eyes and smiled gently. "You think you can do that?"

"I don't know." he mumbled with difficulty, frowning and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Uncle Brock, something is wrong."

 

Evan put on his jacket and looked at Luke who was torn between accompanying him or staying by Jonathan's side.

"I need you to stay here and try to reach Isabel. Tyler and I will look for that stupid brat." He jogged down the stairs only to stop at that alarming tone of his mate.

"Axel?!"

He walked back to the room to find his son shaking on the bed, eyes rolled back, a weird black liquid running through his veins. He joined Jonathan and held his son to keep him from harming himself, and hissed back when his hands burned like he touched the flames.

His mate's terrified and puzzled eyes met his, brow quirked upward at why he retracted his hands. Whatever it was didn't affect Jonathan, only him.

"Axel?" Jonathan said when their son stopped shaking. His eyes rolled back and they were pitched back; a sinister smirk pulled on that sweet child's lips, with an unknown speed he appeared in front of Evan.

"Hey, Aamon."

 

Chris didn't know what to do. The spell supposed to break the bond between his nephew and that heinous creature, but it wasn't working. He used the proper spell, he was sure of it. He might have slept for years but his mind was still as sharp.

Logan was unresponsive for minutes now. He tried everything he knew to wake him up but nothing worked.

What the fuck is happening?

Then, Logan gasped, screaming in pain and pulling up his shirt. Chris' feet almost gave in on him when he saw it. The mark that was burning on his nephew chest. It was impossible, it couldn't be.

The Sigil of Beleth.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After this chapter, the story will begin.

Jonathan, Brian and Brock.

 

*The Monster within me.*

 

Jonathan watched Evan's eyes change to crimson red. So ominous and sinister that freaked him out. He stood there puzzled like the rest in the room watching both Axel and Evan. The latter frowned and glared at his son.

"Beleth?!"

"Bingo!"

Axel chimed in a twisted playfulness Jonathan wasn't accustomed to. He tried to reach for his son but Luke kept him in place, shaking his head, his eyes wide in high alert.

What's going on?

Jonathan could feel himself having enough with these mysteries. He thought that he suffered enough in the past, and now he was losing it, stressed and worked up with all these unprecedented events.

"Daddy?" Hope whispered and looked as confused as everyone, her blue eyes dulled in fear. Jonathan held her close and looked back at his husband and son.

"Evan? Axel, honey?"

They both glanced back at him, Axel's smirk widened and approached him.

"My lord." A darker voice greeted him. "Remember me?"

Jonathan shook his head then frowned. "Son, snap out of it!"

Axel giggled creepily and looked back at Evan.

"Aamon, you tell him who I am."

"Beleth." Evan hissed in a deep voice then added something in a foreign language that had Jonathan look at Luke and Tyler hoping they understood. They both shared his confusion, watching both his husband and son speaking gibberish.

"What's going on?" Jonathan sounded like he asked himself, and they both stopped their head-throbbing conversation. Evan walked his way which made his step back, holding his daughter close.

"Jonathan,"

"Who are you?" He cut him off. " Who's Beleth and What's happening to my boy?"

He could feel himself panicking, and Delirious wasn't helping either with her worrying silence.

"Why is this happening?"

Axel laughed at his dismay and then snapped his head toward the door of his room with a deadly glare. They all looked at the empty doorway in wonder, that until they heard the footsteps.

Isabel appeared in the room followed by an old woman in black, eyes white yet vacant from any light. A red rosary in her left hand, a calm expression, her eyes moving around like she could see through the blindness.

"Isabel," Jonathan called and she flashed him a guilty smile. He glanced at Evan who growled and sneered at the old woman.

"Agatha." His tone of voice held an old resentment.

"No need to bark at me, boy." She warned, her voice raspy yet unexpectedly soft. "I'm here to help, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my grandson."

She then turned and looked at Jonathan with a gentle smile.

"So handsome like your father."

She made her way to him and he let her caress his cheek. So far, he felt safe around her to the extent that he let her touch his daughter.

"Grandson?" He asked and she nodded with a sigh.

"Derek, is my son. He and his father were everything to me, that until someone came and poisoned their minds." The last bit was directed at Evan who scowled.

"I only said the truth." He defended, and just now Jonathan realized that his eyes were back to normal and that his son looked dazed unable to move.

"Axel, buddy?" He tried to go to him but she stopped him.

"He's fine. I had to cast a spell to keep his wolf at bay."

"I don't understand." Jonathan mumbled truthfully, pulling his daughter closer so that her scent could help him stay calm.

"Let me explain." The old woman offered, Isabel nodding for him to listen.

"I met Derek's father when he had experienced some weird dreams. It was when his wolf felt stronger and showcased dominance that a Beta shouldn't have. Being a lone wolf, orphaned at a young age, he was pretty much at loss."

She smiled and walked to where Axel stood, waving her hand over his face that made him fall limp in her arms. She slightly glared at Evan who grumbled before carrying his son back to his bed.

"He'll be fine, don't worry." She assured Jonathan before resuming her story. "I helped him locking away his wolf and you can say that we fell in love after that. I wasn't his mate and he didn't care, establishing a relationship that was stronger than any bond. Then, we had little Derek. I knew he was different from the moment I felt him move in my womb. I knew that this was planned by someone higher than all of us, and at first thought that it was the Luna, goddess of the moon to be exact."

"Then I learned later that the goddess had to form a plan after she realized what my Derek was hosting, a plan for each and everyone of you, building an army to protect her offspring against the wrath of he that lives here."

Her palm touched Jonathan's heart and it skipped from fear. His eyes widened much like everyone in the room, and she simply smiled. A sad grin, though, that he knew nothing better was to come out from those chapped lips.

"Jason, Derek's father and your grandfather, wasn't normal like I said before. A dark entity resided within him that even possessed his wolf. Having Derek, as much as I love him. . . loved him, it was a mistake. My powers helped that very entity to jump inside my boy. I controlled it for as long as I could, until Evan came in the picture; a rogue that had Aamon as his wolf, and turned them against me."

"Don't try to put the blame on me!" He snarled, and she did something that had him on the floor grunting in pain.

"Please, don't." Jonathan bellowed and his daughter whimpered, then the woman who claimed to be his grandmother softened her glare leaving Evan panting on the floor.

"I'm sorry, grandson." She apologized then looked at Isabel. " Can you stay with Axel and keep beautiful Hope with you?"

She tried to touch Hope who moved her face away and hid it in her dad's chest. The woman looked hurt but smiled irregardless, meeting his eyes as she said.

"I think it's better if we continued our talk some place else."

Jonathan glanced at his daughter, the fear and confusion that filled her blue eyes made him nod. He placed a soft kiss on her temple then patted her back encouragingly for her to obey and stay with Isabel. The latter shrunk under his promising glare, holding his daughter and looking away.

They all settled in Evan's office, Agatha taking Evan's chair that made him scowl childishly.

"So where was I?" She wondered then her wisdom filled eyes locked on his own."Uh, yeah. It was about when Evan turned them against me."

"What did you expect? Seeing you casting a spell in a shady place upon Derek, did you expect me not to tell Jason? Not to tell the man who sheltered and saved me when I was lost?!"

Jonathan could feel his anger but he didn't care. He was still thinking about what she implied before. About him hosting a dangerous entity within him. Something that was so strong that had the Luna build an army of powerful wolves to fend him off.

"Delirious," He called knowing well that she heard his thoughts.

"I promise, I don't know anything about that, Jonathan. . . I just know that my mother would had to borrow so much powers in order to save me and get you to be my host. . . I don't know what she did and it's creeping me out."

She sounded truthful and Jonathan believed her. Her voice was wavering from all the uncertainty and fear she was experiencing and he couldn't help but feel the same. If, whatever he had inside was going to hurt his kids, his husband, his family and friends, then he didn't have to think much of how to prevent it; killing himself would be the only solution to save him from an inevitable pain.

"I know," Agatha said snapping him out from his dreadful thoughts. "I'm sorry for lashing out at you, Evan, but it was for what you did that allowed this entity get stronger. . . I hid that fact from Jason, not letting him know what he had inside him and that it jumped to his only son. When you told him about my containment spell I was performing that day, he panicked and interrupted when I was so close to contain him. . . I was sent away; Jason, with the help of some shaman had me fall in a charmed slumber."

"I'm sorry." Evan said more to Jonathan than to her, and she nodded in acknowledgment.

"I woke up years ago when someone else lifted my spell. Mabel, the host of the Luna and your mother, resorted to dark magic to trap three demons inside you, not knowing what you had in there is way worse."

"Three demons?!" Jonathan gasped and Tyler held his trembling hand.

"Axel's wolf isn't a normal wolf, isn't he?"

She affirmed with a hum Tyler's question and looked back at Jonathan.

"Three hell-hounds that were meant to be hosted by your off-spring. The Luna made sure that you give birth to three kids and each will be hosting one, which is why you were able to conceive."

"Who are they?" Luke asked.

"You just met Beleth, there is still Paimon and Purson. The latter died with his host, Alexandria was her name, right?"

Jonathan matched her smile at the mention of his first daughter, slightly whimpering for her loss.

"I wish I could've been able to come to you when they were young, but I was scared. Also, I was assured by someone that you'll die. . . I'm sorry, Jonathan, but I hoped that you'd die."

An empty smirk tugged on his lips, chuckling dryly at that.

"What the hell?!" Evan rose from the floor and growled. "Instead of being there for him, instead of saving him when I . . . I hurt him, you were watching from afar waiting for the news of his death?!"

She chuckled bitterly and matched his glare.

"You don't understand and you're in no position to judge me! You who made him suffer that much! You think I stood there and watched him suffer?! I tried to help but this was the result of it."

She pointed at her white eyes and both Evan and Jonathan gulped in guilt.

"I tried to help you, Jonathan. I really did but he didn't allow it. He wanted you to suffer, he wanted you to feel pain and to give in to the dark side. He almost succeeded if it wasn't for Delirious. Her waking up was never planned, I guess."

She paused, resting her palms on Evan's desk. She breathed in and out, almost struggling that had Jonathan frown.

"Then, you had Hope. Someone must've tried to correct what Luna did as I can feel her inside your daughter. Ariel, an angel of healing, wrath and creation is hosted by our little Hope."

"This . . . entity," Jonathan started, a stoic and cold expression that had them all stiffen in shock. "This thing that's inside me, what is it? Why me? What's going on with Axel, and how can I stop this?"

The woman's eyes filled with tears, a sad grin played on her lips.

"I think you know how, Jonathan."

"What do you mean?!" Evan gritted his teeth and she coughed, placing a hanky on her lips, the smell of blood was clear in the room that had Jonathan on his feet.

"I'm fine." She coughed then smiled. "He's trying to stop me from revealing who he is."

"Who is he?" Jonathan asked hesitantly, a cold shiver running up his spine. Truth be told, he was terrified. To learn that there was something inside him which he couldn't control, frightened him.

"Lucifer."

 

"What do you mean by you felt him?"

Brian was puzzled and slightly terrified by what this bumptious old hag was saying.

"What you understood. I met him in the woods once, he was pregnant with his daughter. She's the only one that can contain that beast of his. His wolf must've been disobeying him then, I could sense that he wasn't in control so I knew he wouldn't remember our meeting. . . I could've ended him then but his wolf was in full control, and I also feared that I'd trigger the one inside him. I tricked that wolf and had her submit and let me touch the belly of her host. . . I asked Ariel for her help and she obliged when she knew who we're against. I cleared the memory of what I did to that wolf-"

"Who's we're up against? And why do you need me?"

"I needed allies to help me capture and kill him. The entities I felt their presence all answer to and obeyhim. Luna thought that she was helping but she only made it worse. You with the help of the hunters and the daughter of this man can end this once and for all."

"Who-" He wondered and she cut him off.

"Lucifer."

 

 

"Alex, what's wrong?"

Brock watched him pant for air, lips trembling and face pale.

"I don't know." He huffed, trying to control his breathing. He winced once more and dropped to his knees on the ground.

"Alex?!"

Brock watched him as he screamed in pain not knowing how he could help. He felt at loss and was about to link Evan for help when someone showed up. A man holding a kid around Alex's age, helping him walk while he groaned in pain. They both froze, and Brock could feel the power radiating from both of them, then he realized who the boy was.

"Logan?"

The man holding Logan had his eyes fixed on Alex who stopped screaming. The way they looked at each other made Brock realize what they were to each other.

"Alex." Logan breathed then looked back at the man, his eyes wide in alert.

"Mate!" Alex growled not in a sense of acknowledgment but more in a deadly promise. His bones started cracking which made Brock let go of him and step away. The man too let go of Logan readying himself to fight back.

Then, the unthinkable happened. Brock witnessed how Alex shifted but not to his beautiful black wolf, Demon. The wolf was five times bigger, eyes flaming red, his canine and fangs sharper, a blazing breath when he huffed. He looked more like a hell-hound than a wolf.

Brock turned to warn them, and got startled when Alex was quick in jumping the hunter.

 

"Lucifer?"

Brian was shocked for a moment before he recovered.

"You mean the archangel himself is hosted by Jonathan?"

"Yes, and when he wakes up, the demons hosted by his sons will answer to him. We can only kill them to prevent that since there is no way they'd join us."

He scratched his head in bewilderment. This was proving to be too much than what he could handle. He opened his mouth to speak but someone knocked on the door stopped him.

"Come in."

A man walked in and bowed his head in respect.

"My sire, we spotted some strangers near our territory. Some of them are wolves."

Brian jumped on his feet, part of him excited and the other part of him was frightened of what the end of this would be.

"It must be them." He told Diana whose frown deepened. "They finally decided to come out of their hiding and fight."

He used his vampiric speed, leaving the room, cutting off the woman who was about to say something. He made his way where the pack warriors spotted the strangers only to halt when he reached them.

A beast of some kind fighting a man who Brian could sense that he was a hunter. The very hunter he had as a roommate in that cave. Another hunter, weak and in pain, watching horrified, then there was him. A man that could be mistaken for an angel, wide brown eyes, full lips, and well-built body. A man that looked back at him mirroring his shocked gaze before he scowled.

"Fuck me." Brian mumbled, feeling screwed for being mated to a wolf.


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your support and patience!
> 
> Happy Valentine day!

*Mates.*

 

"Is he going to be okay?"

Hope asked, lacing her fingers through Axel's soft hair. Her blue eyes dulled in despair, feeling helpless watching her unconscious brother.

"He's fine." Isabel smiled nervously, trying to come up with a way to start the topic that for sure she'd be hated for. Wiping her sweaty hands in her jeans, she gulped before she started.

"Uh, Hope."

The little girl looked up with her sorrow-filled eyes, cocking her head to the side and waiting for what her Nana would say.

Isabel's eyes couldn't meet her own, downcast on the sleeping form of Axel.

"Do you speak to your wolf?" She asked nervously and gulped when the little girl hummed in confirmation.

"Do you know who she is?"

She watched her sigh heavily, her little and gentle hand caressing the cheek of her brother. A gesture than rendered her more mature than her age.

"I do." A silent tear slid down her pale cheek. "She says some bad things and I couldn't tell papa and daddy. They looked troubled enough, so I didn't want to cause them some more."

"Oh, honey." Isabel tried to pull her to a hug, but the girl moved away to the far corner of the bed.

"Ariel said that you know too. That you agree with what she's saying."

Isabel looked down guiltily and regretful.

"I know it's hard, dear. It's hard for me as well." She smiled dryly and held Axel's hand. "It may sound cruel, but you know how much your daddy loves you guys. It'll kill him if he did something to harm you."

"But," Hope hiccuped which made Isabel look at her tearful face. She felt her heart break at that expression, a child her age shouldn't be forced to make a decision as hard as this one.

"W-What if dad was able to control him?"

"I think you know the answer to that, Hope. . .Your dad is weak and unstable that even with the help of Delirious he wouldn't be able to control him."

Hope sniffled and hugged her feet closer, a desperate plea and a fleeting hope in her eyes.

"I don't know why he isn't in control for now, but that means we still have time and we need to act fast." She hesitated before adding. "I wasn't in for this. . .Killing him has never crossed my mind, but I've witnessed something, honey."

"What is it?"

Isabel gulped, averting her eyes to the side. "A couple of months ago, I went to the kitchen to get a drink where I found her. She looked distressed and concerned for a goddess, telling me how she messed up."

Hope frowned but was quick to figure out whom she was referring to.

"The Luna?! I thought she doesn't appear only if she needs a . . ." Hope trailed off, her eyes widening. "You mean, nana, you're-"

Isabel nodded, and her eyes changed to a beautiful ashen color, flecks of silver glinting in them. She smiled softly looking regretful.

"I asked Isabel to host me for a while to correct a mistake I did years ago."

Hope gracefully bowed her head at her presence like the well-mannered child she was.

"Goddess." She said with a glossy gaze, glancing at her brother who stirred in his sleep before looking back at her.

"You can fix this . . .please, without hurting Daddy."

Isabel rubbed her hands together. "I don't know if I can." She admitted truthfully. "I helped your grandma who agreed to allow my daughter to be hosted by your father. She knew what she had inside her after Derek confessed, and I agreed to help. I knew that Delirious was strong enough to keep him from controlling her or her host."

"So, you used Demons? And not any demons, kings of hell who've been banished to the underworld, known for their cruelty. . .How selfish can you be?"

Luna knew that she was talking to Hope's wolf, Ariel. Glowing Magenta eyes, deep and dark by anger.

"I didn't mean for it to turn out like this." She defended herself, deep down knowing that she messed up . . . big times.

"You evoked three demons by name, Luna. You must've at least known who they are before you did that."

"I did-"

"And you didn't think they'll retaliate?! Wasn't it enough that Lucifer was involved, you had to add three troublesome beings?!"

"I didn't mean to."

Hope stood up and growled. "I didn't mean to? Really?! That's all you can say to defend yourself?!"

The Luna was speechless knowing that she screwed up, but she wasn't about t tolerate disrespect. Her eyes glowed and Ariel stepped back, taking a seat on the side of the bed. Her eyes kept changing, fighting her host who meekly smiled.

"Sorry." Hope said and sighed. "She's right, though."

"I know." The Luna nodded, her eyes admiring the little girl's wisdom. "I'm really sorry. I know that I made it worse, but I was forced to do it."

"I don't understand."

"Lucifer, to contain him and banish him, I needed the help of three warrior angels back then. I had the alter ready to welcome their presence, but Mabel, your grandma, seemed different. . . At first, she seemed reluctant, then started opposing the idea of having three angels hosted by her unborn child. She was fidgety, irrational and stern."

"Possessed." Hope confirmed, and the Luna nodded, her eyes dulled and turned grim.

"I felt his powers then, and how we're far apart. He was so strong, dear. He threatened to end Mabel's life with your dad's and Delirious. I panicked, and I didn't know what to do. The plan was to use Delirious to control him, but she was still weak then. . . I was forced to agree to his terms and resorted to black magic to call three demons."

After a brief silence, Hope asked with hopefulness.

"There must be something you can do, right?"

"The whole reason Aamon is back was to help banishing Lucifer."

Hope laced her fingers with her brother's and looked up.

"Aamon? You mean father's wolf?"

The Luna nodded. "He's hated by Lucifer and his servants. He was brought back to life by someone who I still need to figure out who . . .When I knew he's alive, I fated him with Jonathan, your dad, in hopes that he'd help keeping Lucifer under control."

She leaned closer and held Hope's hand.

"Hope, you with the help of your father can end this before it starts. Can control that heinous creature and banish him back to hell. I know you can do it, honey."

Hope slipped her hand away and sobbed. They both knew that once Lucifer would leave a vessel, it'd perish.

"I can't hurt daddy."

"Hope, honey, please listen to me. It's bad enough that Beleth had awaken just now and god knows if Paimon had awakened or not yet. We're lucky that Purson died, or we'll be facing four troublesome beings."

"Purson?" Hope hiccuped softly, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "Ariel only told me about Beleth and Paimon; who's Purson?"

The gray eyes of the goddess flickered, morphed to the ocean blue eyes of Isabel as she took back control. She bit her lip hesitating at first and nodded determined to let this innocent girl know about her dead sister.

"Purson was hosted by Alexandria. . . your sister."

"Isabel!" Jonathan walked in the room, fixing her with a deadly glare. His eyes screaming in wonder, dulled by what he just learned downstairs from his supposed grandma.

"I don't need this right now." He felt like crying.

"Daddy, I have a sister?"

He didn't know what to say, not expecting to be put on the spot right now. Especially now with everything bad in his mind. It was enough that he learned that he had the fricking lord of the hell inside him, and his kids were hosting one of the worse demon kings out there.

Wasn't it enough? Weren't enough the things he went through in the past?

"I-I . . ." He faltered and sat next to his daughter, smiling dryly at the sorrow-filled and bewildered expression she held.

"You had a sister, honey." He admitted with a shuddered breath, and she looked betrayed by that dire expression.

"I wanted to tell you, but I was waiting for the right time." He glared at Isabel who bowed her head.

Hope just looked down at her lap and cried softly. She seemed to be battling with something she wanted to say, so Jonathan placed his hand on her chin and made her look at him.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"H-How did she die?" She mumbled, and Jonathan gulped. He didn't want to tell her. He didn't want her to know what happened in the past. He didn't want her to hate Evan, nor the dysfunctional family she had. He wanted her to have a normal childhood unlike her brothers, but who was he kidding; there was nothing normal about their life.

"There was an accident and . . . and she died."

Hope frowned and looked like she was talking to her wolf before she said.

"Don't lie to me, daddy. A wolf as strong as hers shouldn't die that easily."

"A wolf as strong as hers?" He asked, wondering if she knew about the demons and she elaborated.

"Ariel says that Paimon, Purson and Beleth are strong demon wolves, who will protect their hosts. . . even from death."

"Ariel?" Jonathan's eyes narrowed at Isabel. "Y-Your wolf tells you these things? Did she say something else?"

Hope looked at him and started crying again.

"S-She said that I need to kill you. . . Daddy, I don't want to." She sobbed.

"That's not right." Jonathan said in a moment of despair. His little girl was bearing this secret, at this young age. The little girl that loved him so much probably had to cry herself to sleep knowing that she'd have to kill her dad.

"I told her that you can control him."

Jonathan felt like he was losing his mind, and he wished if he was. At least he wouldn't care if his life went to hell, literally.

"Can you daddy?" She asked, and he bought his hands to her cheeks, wiping her tears.

"I don't know If I can, sweety." He said truthfully. "I don't know if I am controlling him, but you shouldn't think about this stuff right now. . . I'll figure it out, dear."

She looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself, hugging him and burying her face in his chest.

"Promise me, daddy." Her voice muffled by his chest.

"I promise." He kissed to the top of head and Delirious whined.

"Delirious, do you feel him? I mean. . .Lucifer?" He asked in his head and she sighed.

"I didn't know and it's scaring me." She replied truthfully. "What if he really takes control over me? I don't want to lose myself to him."

For someone as tough as her to sound scared, alarmed him. If she couldn't control him, he didn't have a chance. He was messed up in the head, weak and sensitive; a perfect combination, so alluring for any entity to possess.

"Why me?" He whispered, and Hope looked up. She just stared at him before lifting her head and kissing his cheek.

"I'm sorry daddy."

He formed a smile and kissed her. "Don't be, honey. We'll work as a family and fight this thing."

She nodded and sighed in his chest. She softly breathed as her crying stopped. Jonathan linked Evan letting him know what was happening, asking him to get Isabel out of the room and his sight after what she did. Needless to say how furious Evan sounded knowing that she told his precious daughter that she had a sister.

Evan walked in and looked at dismayed look his love ones held. All was messed up and he didn't know how to fix it. On top of all that was happening, what Beleth said trouble him the most. He didn't understand what he meant by what he said.

'Tres autem reges unitum noster dominus meus excitare.' (The three kings are united now to wake up our lord.)

"Rafe," he addressed his trusted butler who was following behind him. "Please escort Isabel to my office and stay there until I join you."

The man nodded and looked at Isabel who hesitated before she stood up. She felt bad when Jonathan looked away, tightening his hands around his daughter, before she followed Rafe.

"Father," Hope looked up with her glazed eyes, red and swollen, brimmed with tears. "What happened to Alexandria?"

Evan locked eyes with Jonathan and wanted nothing but to see those eyes brighten again. He hated how dismal and clouded they looked. He swallowed thickly and sat on the bed beside them. He held his daughter's hand and failed to smile.

"I did some bad things, honey." He started, and Jonathan flinched, his eyes tight shut as if he was reliving the past again. "I hurt your dad when he was carrying your siblings. . . I-I was stupid and hurt him really bad . . ." He trailed off when Hope seemed that she got the point.

Evan expected her to act like Axel and snap at him, telling how a failure he was as a father and a mate, but instead, the girl's frown deepened, pulling away from her dad to have a better look at both of them.

"She died because father hurt you?"

Evan nodded but Jonathan shook his head.

"He's not the only one at fault, Hope. I was weak too then, and some bad person had injected me with wolfsbane. . . H-Her healing powers were affected by it which is why she died."

Evan tried to reach for his hand when he found it hard to breath, but Jonathan moved his hand away, avoiding his eyes. They were back to square one, all the hard work they've been through the years to work their relationship out went down the drain.

"But, she couldn't die from that." Hope said confusing them both. "As a wolf, yes, she would've died, but with Purson inside her, Ariel says that she should've survived."

"W-What do you mean?" His voice trembled, and Hope caressed his cheek.

"Purson would've kept her alive."

"You mean she didn't die from that?!"

Hope nodded. "Something else must've killed her."

Jonathan looked at Evan mirroring his bewildered expression.

 

 

Tyler had to run to his place and get the grimoire of Goetia. A book from which he learned about Delirious, and he remembered that he did come across demons as well. Agatha looked excited when he mentioned it, even promising that she could do something for his beloved to wake up.

Craig was still in his bed, a glowing complexion, so beautiful. Tyler knelt at the side of the bed and caressed his cheek, he and his wolf both whimpering for their mate not waking up.

"Baby," he went on, holding his hand and kissing it. "Please wake up. . . The world without you is unbearable, babe."

He brought his hand to his quivering lips, sobbing again and feeling helpless.

"Please, Craig. We miss you. . . I-I miss you, and I don't know what to do." He sobbed harder, burying his face in his husband's chest.

"I failed you. . . I'm a failure of a mate, I know. But please, for his sake. . . For the sake of your son, your friend and family, please."

He kissed him and somehow hurt his lips with something sharp, which later he realized that they were Craig's fangs. A part of the transition Tyler wasn't happy nor excited about. A drop of blood slid down those dry lips, and Tyler wondered if his blood could wake him up. Just like some fairy-tale where the princess would wake up from a love kiss.

He stared at that irresponsive body, then wiped his tears, slowly walking his way to the door. He stopped at the sound of his name. He turned to see Craig's eyes open staring at the ceiling with a blank expression.

"Craig, baby?"

Tyler slid beside him, kissing his husband's cheeks, lips and all over his face. He chuckled when those brown eyes locked on his own, a frown and a confused expression was formed on that calm face.

"Tyler?" Craig's voice came out groggy, so dry.

"Baby." Tyler leaned down and kissed his lips. "You gave me a scare."

Craig's just looked around taking everything in before meeting his eyes. He sat up and held Tyler's face in his hands. His brown eyes looked terrified as they took in his tired features, then he pushed him away and brought a hand to his lips.

"Craig?"

"What did you do?!" He yelled panicking.

Tyler was taken off guard by the sudden outburst, carefully bringing his hand to touch his mate's face. With an unexplained power he was sent flying across the room to meet the wall.

Tyler groaned, shocked by what happened. He slowly stood up to meet his mate's face. Craig was standing in the middle of the room, wide eyes filled with fear and a bit of lust. A lust that Tyler recognized and terrified him.

"Why did you do this, Tyler?" Craig managed to say.

"Babe-" He tried again to touch him, but Craig moved away.

"No!" He growled, the sound of his bones cracking brought a cold chill up Tyler's spine.

"Run!" He yelled but Tyler refused to listen. He knew that this was the effect of him turning, but he couldn't leave him. He was convinced that he could help him.

"Craig," He started, touching his cheek softly. Scarlet eyes stared back at him replacing those warm chocolate brown pair he adored. Terrified, confused, yet dangerous.

"We can go through this together."

"No!" Craig wailed and tried to move away, heaving as he was fighting the urge to snap his neck and drink until he'd quench his thirst.

"We can." Tyler prompt, and smiled when Craig fixed his eyes on him.

"We can't." He said a bit calmer now. "Brian compelled me to drink every drop of your blood and I don't think I can control it any longer."

Tears streaming down those baby cheeks, horrified and stunned by all of this. If Brian was here at this very moment, Tyler would've tore his body to pieces for what he did. He'd kill him and find a way to bring him back to life, just to kill him again and again.

"You can." Again, Tyler said. "I know it's hard, but you can. . .At least just for a while. There is this woman who said can help you with this."

Tyler wasn't sure if Craig was listening, his head bowed, and body hunched down, visibly shaking.

"I'll go get her. Okay, Craig?"

He hastily left the room when his mate failed to respond. His heat racing, ecstatic to have him back but saddened that he had to go through this. He reached for the door knob to open the front door, and instead, he felt his body burst through the door and sent to the front yard.

An indescribable pain shocked his body. If he wasn't a wolf, Tyler's would've suffered great injuries from the impact. Still on the ground, he looked toward his house to see Craig standing there. But, that wasn't Craig. It was a blood thirsty hybrid, growling in hunger, sangria eyes fixated on him.

"Oh, shit."

 

"Oh, shit." Brian said, staring at his mate. The fighting duo were forgotten as his eyes studied the hunk of man that was his mate.

"Hi?" He said with a small grin, and the beauty growled furiously. It was a warning for him not to get closer.

"Okay, calm down buddy. Not going to fight you."

The man growled dangerously low which made him stop in his tracks.

"I'm not a dog, asshole!"

Brian chuckled playfully. "Yes, you're a wolf. A big bad wolf." He mocked and backed away when his mate started pacing toward him.

"Woah! hold on! I don't want to fight you."

"Oh, but I do."

Before he could pounce on him, a scream made them look toward the others. The beast or whatever that creature was, towering over the hunter who was groaning from something painful in his back. He looked like he wanted to control the pain, but he couldn't, with his back to the creature, he crawled toward a tree.

"Alex, no!" Brian heard his mate yell at the beast when he brought his canine closer to the hunter, aiming to bite off his neck. Brian narrowed his eyes thinking where he heard that name until he recalled Evan's sons.

"Oh, this is perfect." He laughed, winking at his mate when he glared at him.

"Alex, control it." He started walking toward the beast and Brian experienced a troubling feeling down his stomach. He felt the need to protect the foolish man who thought he was still talking to that boy. The beast in front of them was for sure one of the demons the old hag talked about.

"Alex!" He yelled, and when he was ignored, he morphed to a beautiful gray wolf.

Brian watched in awe the stunning wolf jump the beast and pushed him away from the hunter. His stance, muscles, and breath-taking eyes, Brian had never seen or was he ever amazed by a wolf before.

His mate took a fighting stance facing the hell-beast. Suicidal for thinking to fight that thing off; the beast bared his teeth, snarling with hot saliva down his jaw. He growled a deafening sound, yet his mate didn't back down. He didn't even flinch!

Brian just couldn't have that. After all, the wolf was his mate, and even if he hated those filthy mutts, he knew that it was dumb not to accept who he was destined to be with. He used his vampiric speed and pushed his mate out of the way when he was about to get jumped. He struggled in his arms, snapped his teeth at him in protest, trying to bite him.

"Calm down, buddy." He chuckled and pulled his face away when his mate aimed to take a chunk of him in pure anger.

"Calm down." He said again but with a gentle tone, surprisingly his mate listened and stared back at him. Those brown eyes looked confused and so innocent, Brian found himself drowning in them.

He knew for a fact that this was the mating pull, and he couldn't deny how great it felt. Brian regretted it. He regretted everything he'd done in the past. His mate was in front of him, part of Evan's pack. If maybe, just maybe, he wasn't much of an asshole and sought revenge for something trivial, being that he was the one that started the feud, he would've met him a long time ago.

The beast just shook his head and fixed his head on the hunter that was still on the ground. His paws pounded the ground as he made his way toward him, an intent to kill radiating from him. The hunter had no way to recover and protect himself, and Brian didn't let go of his mate who was now fighting him to go and stop that thing.

His mate's wolf huffed and looked away, turning back human, which took him off guard and he ended up on top of him on the ground. His beautiful mate rolled his eyes and tried to push him off, looking adorable with a pink hue that covered his cheeks.

Brian stood up, allowing his eyes to enjoy the sight of that naked body. He smirked and winked at his mate when he glared at him, trying to act tough while he was blushing furiously.

"Alex!" A disquieting yell made them both look up; the big wolf had cornered the hunter who seemed that he'd given up, or so shaken up to move.

Brian was surprised when the other man stepped in and mumbled a spell to tame the beast. For a moment, it was working as the wolf huffed and shook his head, bones cracking until a boy stood there stark naked.

Brian's mate sighed relieved, still tempting him by showing off that enticing body of his, inciting him to claim him with that adorable expression he held.

The hunter who was groaning started breathing easily, standing up beside the other one who never stopped chanting. They all thought they had him until the kid started cackling, a disturbing laugh that had them all shiver in fear.

"Amen dico vobis quod ego do tibi." (I command you.)

He said in a mocking dark tone directed at the man who still chanted.

"Putas, est mandatum meum."( You think only of my command.) He laughed harder, slowly walking toward the stunned men. 

"Ego sum Paimon!" ( I am Paimon!) He roared. "I am the ruler of the two hundred legions will answer to no one but my lord. You, human, can't command me!" It was clear that this kid was unstoppable, and for the first time, Brian witnessed fear. He was afraid for his safety and the safety of his mate. The man who didn't seem to care about his life walking toward the kid to stop him. Brian morphed and stood in his mate's path.

"Are you insane?!" He rested his hand on his mate's chest, shivering from the twirl of emotions that filled his heart.

"You are." His mate gritted his teeth, shoving his hand away.

"You can't help them." He added when he was ignored, and the other just pushed him aside. "I can't let him kill them. I can't let him kill his mate." Brian followed trying to talk some sense into him. "There is no saving them. That's a demon talking. Something powerful that I'm sure you have never faced before." His mate stopped walking frowning at what he said, and Brian could feel his confusion. It was so beautiful how he could feel his emotions, so overwhelming that made the vampire wonder. Would he be forgiven? Would his mate accept him?

"Evan's kids are all hosting demons, something about a mistake done by the Luna. Once they're awake, no one can stop them. . . or so I heard." He explained.

His mate took only few seconds to think it through before he started walking again toward the boy. The latter was held back by the two hunters chanting frantically while he laughed.

"Didn't you just hear me!?" Brian said rather annoyed by his stubborn mate, and the other shrugged.

"I don't think you really understand the meaning of mate, and I pity you. . .Even if I die today, I can't let Alex kill his mate and suffer from the pain of being away from him."

That made Brian stop, feeling a pang of pain in his heart. He stared at the man who stole his heart the moment he'd seen him and frowned. From his reaction earlier, he must've known that he was his mate. He didn't look surprised like he was. His mate was taken back that they met but didn't show any signs that he didn't expect it nor that he'd accept him.

He's going to reject me. I can't allow it.

"Alex, buddy, take control." His mate was right next to the boy who cocked his head to the side, blinking his eyes as if he remembered him.

"Uncle Brock?" He said in a gentle voice before his expression turned blank. Blinking his eyes that turned pitch black. "You know where my lord's vessel is." He added in confirmation.

"Brock." Brian whispered, loving the name, and his mate stiffened for a moment then recovered.

"Lord?" He asked, and the boy seethed.

"Take me to him!" He demanded, but his mate was confused. He didn't know what he meant by lord, but Brian did.

"He means Evan's mate, Jonathan was his name, right?"

"Huh? Jonathan is his lord?" Brock asked again but he was shoved by some power to the side that he hit a tree.

"You." Alex pointed at him and Brian ignored him, morphing to where his mate was to check on him.

"Are you alright, Brock?"

His mate just stared back at him, swatting his hand away when he tried to help him up, standing on his own.

"Just trying to help." He couldn't help but feel irritated and his mate snorted.

"I think that you've done enough."

Although he was being scolded by him and maybe hated as well, Brian was enjoying it. He figured that he could get used to this mate thing.

"You!" Alex yelled, not appreciating to be ignored. "You know where Lucifer is?"

Brian rolled his eyes at the fuming boy, fixing his leather jacket as he remarked.

"I do and so do you. If you'd allow the kid back in control, I'm sure he'll take you there."

"If you take me there, I may spare your life, vampire." The demon bit back and Brian chuckled.

"May spare my life? Damn, that sounds tempting." He mocked, keeping the demon's attention to him while the hunter was making a move behind him.

"I can take you there." His suicidal mate offered, carefully walking toward him. "I can take you to Lucifer."

"No, he can't!" Brian exclaimed then nervously chuckled. "He doesn't know where he is. I can take you but in one condition that you'll let him go."

"What the hell are you doing?" Brock spat angrily.

"Trying to win you back." He winked and grinned.

Brock huffed. "I think it's too late for that."

Brian ignored the demon who was frowning at both of them and stood in front of his mate.

"What do you mean by too late?!" He demanded and the other rolled his eyes.

"Exactly what you understood."

Brian narrowed his eyes, studying that apathetic expression until he spotted something that broke his heart. Brock had a mating mark on the left side of his neck. His mate had claimed someone else.

"You claimed someone!" He hissed, and Brock chuckled dryly.

"It was consensual, unlike your escapades."

"What do you mean?"

"Craig." Was what Brock said that forced him to back away.

"Aren't you going to defend yourself? Say some lies about how a child seduced you into . . .the heinous shit you did?"

Brian was speechless, and Brock smirked.

"I figured."

"Are you done, you two?" Alex said impatiently. "Who's going to take me to Lucifer?" He demanded.

"Me." The hunter said, placing the palm of his hand on the boy's forehead.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica."  
("We exorcise you, every impure spirit, every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion, every congregation and diabolical sect.")

Alex laughed, and the other hunter bellowed.

"Uncle Chris, I don't think it's working."

Chris just nodded for him to chant along, performing an exorcise on the boy.

"Ergo, omnis legio diabolica, adiuramus te. . .cessa decipere humanas creaturas, eisque æternæ perditionìs venenum propinare."  
("Therefore, diabolical legions, we adjure you ... Cease to deceive human creatures, and to give to them the poison of eternal damnation.")

Alex chuckled darkly, opening his ominous eyes as he added.

"Ade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciæ, hostis humanæ salutis."  
("Be gone, Satan, inventor and master of all deceit, enemy of man's salvation.")

He held Chris' hand and twisted it making him groan.

"Wrong prayer, mate."

He kicked his gut, sending him flying to the side where Diana stood there looking startled a bit.

"Brian, you and Logan hold him. I'm sending this demon back to hell." She ordered, and he obliged. The other hunter, Logan, hurried to his uncle's aid ignoring her demand.

Alex giggled. "Says who?"

She ignored him, pulling out a medallion that made Alex's black eyes twinkle.

"That's mine!" He snarled, with no effort breaking free from the dead grip Brian thought he had him in. "You people should learn how to respect higher beings."

"You're the one to talk, Paimon." She lowered her hand and so did his body, groaning for being forced on his knees. She held the medallion in front of his face, yet he smirked.

"You banish me and the boy dies."

"Planning on it." She shrugged him off and was surprised when Brock stood between her and Alex.

"I can't let you kill him."

"Brian." She nodded for him to intervene but was forced to stand still when his mate glared at him.

"I don't know who you are, but this is my best friend's son we're talking about and I'm not letting you kill him."

"I'd listen to him if I were you." Alex quipped with a twisted grin.

"Listen, wolf. I don't kill him, and he'll wake Lucifer up from whatever dazed sleep he's in."

"You kill him, and Lucifer will wake up anyway, being that you're planning to kill his host's son."

She smiled unaffected. "That would make one less demon to care about."

Brock seemed at loss, trying to convince Diana from hurting Alex. The demon, though, had other plans under his sleeves. His eyes turned to that stunning sapphire color, dulled with fear. He locked them with Chris who was still groaning on the ground.

"Please save me, Chris."

"Don't listen to him." Diana warned. "Demons are tricksters, they can get into your head to do what they please." She seemed unaware of the current situation and Brian felt tongue tied to inform her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I hurt you, Chris, but I don't want to die." Alex teared up, looking so weak and helpless that made Brian wonder if he really did wake up.

Diana continued to ignore him, overlooking the clever demon.

"Uh, Diana. That's his mate." Brian pointed at Chris who seemed battling with himself.

"No!" She couldn't have said it any later, when Chris snatched the medallion from her and shadowed his mate.


	7. Chapter Six

*Sacrifice*

 

“Alpha! We have a situation!” 

A distressed guard knocked on Axel’s bedroom door, demanding Evan to follow him. The latter shared a look with his husband, and Jonathan nodded, kissing his daughter with a dry grin.

What now? He thought tiredly.

“You stay here, hon, okay? And call us if Axel wakes up.”

She nodded, looking alarmed by the pale guard who impatiently watched them. Jonathan had one last look at his kids, hurrying outside with Evan expecting the worst. He hoped that it had nothing to do with Alex, borrowing strength from Delirious to remain collected, and most importantly, sane.

“Mr. Craig woke up and he’s attacking Mr. Tyler.” The guard reported as they hurried down the stairs.

Evan cursed under his breath, marching in disdain toward again another problem. They couldn’t seem to get a rest from all the bullshits happening around them. First Brian, now Alex was gone, Brock wasn’t responding, his location unclear, and Lucifer was playing hide and seek inside his beloved.

Jonathan was thinking pretty much the same, although there was much more than that weighing him down. This strange and eerie silence that was eating on him from inside. He could feel Delirious’ presence, but the bond felt weird as if it had weakened in the past few days. 

They didn’t need the guard to guide them to where Craig and Tyler were, from all the commotion that could be heard from the front door, leading to the backyard. They reached the small botanical garden where Craig and Jonathan would spend their day relaxing, to find a battlefield instead. Everything was broken, wood shards everywhere, pebbles across the beautiful green grass, the blue orchids Jonathan had planted and tended to for two weeks to grow beautifully, ruined. In the middle of all of this, Tyler was fending off Craig who looked like a blood thirsty hound, barring his teeth and trying to bite him.

“Craig!” Jonathan gasped, and was met with bloody eyes that studied him for a moment. He looked torn apart, frightened, and hungry. His sangria eyes had that mixed confusion in them, certainly he wasn’t sure how to control his thirst. Craig looked like he was fighting himself, before looking down at the beaten-up man beneath him. He opened his mouth wide when Tyler looked away, submitting for him to do as he pleased. Jonathan’s heartbeat picked up at an insane speed, eyes wide and aghast from fear, his body not responding to his logic to hurry and help Tyler.

Evan, though, was quick to engage, shoving Craig away from Tyler with all his might, helping the wounded man to stand up. The latter held his chest groaning, blood marked the spots of the injuries he tolerated fighting off his husband. He reached out and stopped Evan when he tried to engage in a fight with Craig, shaking his head with a plea.

“You’ll hurt him.”

“He’s hurting anyway.” Evan coldly countered, knowing well enough what Crag was going through from past experiences. “His blood thirst is stronger than his will to fight, so I’m sure he’s hurting knowing that he can’t stop.”

Tyler never let go, keeping Evan from fighting his husband.

“You’re stronger.” He reasoned. “If you fight him, you might hurt him bad . . . or- or kill him.”

Tyler wasn’t wrong, and Evan knew it. Although he has control over his wolf, he wouldn’t deny that sometimes the rage inside him could overwhelm him, clouding his judgement. He lost control in the past with Jonathan, and until now he was still learning how to submit his mystical wolf. The anger management group that till this day he was still going to, helped him a lot. But sometimes, things would get overbearing and he’d feel like beating people to a pulp . . . The people he shouldn’t hurt the most. It was scaring him most of the time, hoping to never lose it one day, knowing that for sure if he did, he’d lose the one thing he worked so hard to build.

The trust.

His eyes met Tyler’s dulled pair, nodding in understanding that had the man sigh in relief.

“Daddy?” A small voice called. Danny was standing by the small lotus pond, wearing one of Craig’s shirts that covered all his height, his small hand clutching the one of his stuffed fox. He looked like he’d just woke up, eyes blinking away the daze of sleep under the soft illuminating sunset light. His face brightened up when Craig looked his way, discarding his favorite toy on the ground and hurried to his dad. He crashed his small body with Craig’s before anyone could stop him, sobbing and incoherently calling his name.

Craig looked bewildered and overwhelmed, unsure of what to do. His bloody eyes teared up, staining his cheeks as he looked at all of them. They all watched him carefully as he hesitantly placed his hand on his son’s head bringing him closer. He buried his face in his neck and breathed in, sobbing as well as he tightened the embrace. Evan wanted to meddle in and break that embrace before something unfortunate would happen, but Tyler stopped him. 

“Tyler, I-I can’t.” Craig’s eyes blinked as he fought for control, the hybrid within him started shifting, bones cracking painfully as he wailed from the immense pain. He pushed Danny away who yelped, terrified. Jonathan carried the kid who flinched at first in fright before hiding his face in his chest.

“Craig.” Tyler called tearful, held back by Evan when he wanted to get closer and hold him.

“He’s turning.” Evan stated the obvious, his eyes showing concern and uncertainty of how to deal with this situation. Jonathan who stood just a couple of feet away from them, felt helpless watching his best friend scream in pain and turning to a monstrous wolf; fangs out in display, so long and sharp, dripping with saliva from the thirst Craig felt. He kept a good grip on Danny not allowing him to look and witness some more scarring sight. 

“He can’t be stopped.” Agatha, his grandma appeared behind him. “It’s the compulsion. He fed on you?” Deliberately, she asked Tyler. 

He looked lost for a moment, musing before he nodded.

“I kissed him, and I injured my lip in the process.”

She hummed, frowning. Her fingers never stopped rolling the rosary between them, Jonathan’s eyes fixated on her hand as if it angered him.

Craig had fully turned, his wolf was on all his hinges, bigger and stronger, eyes narrowed into a slit, so sinister looking that had them all shiver in fear. He didn’t give them time to think of anything as his paws pounded the ground, targeting Tyler. Evan was quick again to push him out of the way and jumped when Craig did, his strong arms around the big wolf as they twirled mid-air before they both met the ground with a thud. Evan rolled around and stood up on his feet, Craig’s wolf did the same, huffing hot breaths and growling lowly at him.

Evan had no choice in the matter but to turn. He morphed into his ebony wolf, his size almost doubled Craig’s, a true Alpha.

“No!” Tyler called in a weak voice, walking toward Craig. “You want me, not him.”

“Daddy!” Danny shrieked, and Jonathan turned his face away from the fight. His heart racing afraid to lose someone today. He knew that Evan was stronger, but Craig was hungry, for sure compelled to hurt Tyler. And right now, Evan was in the way of making that happen, which rendered him desperate and dangerous.  
Evan growled and snapped his teeth at Craig when he looked back at his prey. Jonathan could only watch in both shock and fear as they circled each other, both aiming for no good. And when they jumped in the air to fight, something moved in a speed of light pushing Craig away from his path of doom.  
Evan skid to a stop, looking at the being who had Craig on the ground, not moving.

“Shift.” Brian ordered, knowing that this was his doing which he’d get an earful for it. That if Evan didn’t kill him before Craig’s mate could. He watched the fur disappear, the joints turn back in place, the face regain its human shape, brown eyes stared back at him in fury.

“Don’t move.” He breathed against Craig face, watching him shiver with a look of disgust. He stood up to face the music, with a smirk he greeted the baffled group.

“Hi.”

Tyler suddenly felt a surge of power engulf him, striding toward him. Brian, though, used his vampiric speed and stopped behind them. There stood Brock, shamelessly stark naked, supporting Chris’ unconscious body, a bloody gush wound in his neck. Another woman stood behind them, and just by seeing her, Jonathan flinched as if something shocked his system. Everything inside him told him to stay away from her, so he moved away to stand beside his husband.

“We need to talk.” Brock said when all eyes were on him.

“One thing at a time.” Agatha wisely reminded them, nodding toward Craig. “I believe that this is the gentleman who compelled him. With his blood, we can cure him.”

Tyler didn’t need to be told twice, striding toward the smug vampire to rip his head off and force his husband to drink his blood. The strange woman, however, stood in his path and shook her head, her eyes quickly shifting to Jonathan watching him again. The latter felt so uncomfortable, rubbing Danny’s back as he hiccuped, and hid behind Evan.

“It doesn’t work that way.” Agatha said with a sigh. “Violence, right now, won’t solve anything. We have so much on our plate to give in to our selfish desires.”  
She walked to where Craig lied on the ground unable to move. 

“First, take him to somewhere secure and chain him. We need to drain his system from your blood, weaken him, then feed him the noble’s blood.”

Brian puffed his chest and grinned at Brock.

“She’s a nice lady.” Proud that she referred to him as noble instead of what these people called him, and Brock rolled his eyes annoyed.

Tyler, although wanted to protest, he obliged thinking of his mate first. He nodded at Evan whose eyes were fixed on the unconscious man Brock was carrying, telling him that he’d take care of his husband.

They settled in the foyer, all but Tyler who carried Craig to their basement, where he followed Agatha’s advice in how to subdue and break the compulsion. He tied him down there with a rope drenched in wolfsbane, reducing his thirst to the minimal before drinking blood from his sire, Brian. Tyler was thinking of allowing Craig to drink every last drop of blood from that bastard, that if he wasn’t protected by that woman.

Brock walked in after he put on some clothes, gulping when he met Jonathan’s eyes. Evan was dressed as well, a simple white shirt and blue jeans, sitting beside his husband. Brock explained what happened and how he was with Alex hunting for Brian. He introduced Diana whose eyes never left Jonathan, a slight of fear washing over that stoic expression. Brian leaned by the front door, picking at his nails for being ignored by the rest. Chris was placed on one of the couches, Agatha tending to his wound.

“Where is he now?” Jonathan asked, his throat felt dry knowing that his son has met his mate and allowed the demon inside him to take control.

Brock took a deep breath, looking at the group he came with before he grimaced.

“Alex, or whatever that was, used vampiric speed to flee, taking Logan with him. Before he left, he bit this hunter, Chris, and tried to kill him if it wasn’t for this woman.”

He looked regretful, feeling like a failure for not keeping an eye on the boy and losing him. His eyes downcast on the floor waiting for any reprimand but there was none. A heavy silence filled the room that could cut through thick ice. Jonathan was rubbing his hands nervously, looking anxious and on brinks of panic, Diana watching him like a hawk, her eyes dulled with fear. Evan just sighed, holding his head in his hands, fighting the never-ending headache that started a week ago. And Brian, well, is Brian, looking bored by the front door.

“I don’t think he’ll survive like this.” Agatha informed them when her magic failed to heal Chris. They all knew that a death bite from a mate couldn’t be healed by magic but by a bond. Just like what happened years back, when Jonathan attacked Evan and almost killed him. If he didn’t bite him and bond his soul with him, he could’ve died.

Evan wanted to say good riddance, but he knew that his son would suffer if this hunter died. He glanced at Jonathan and frowned when he looked calm, his hand absently rubbing Danny’s back as he slept beside him, while he gazed at the strange woman with a sinister grin.

‘Jonathan?’ He linked him, and his mate looked back at him with the same smug expression, before he blinked and zoned back in. They both frowned, both knowing that it wasn’t normal, hoping that no one beside them noticed. No one beside them and the strange woman who looked more terrified now than before.

“Did I miss something?” Luke asked as he just walked in. He mentioned that he had a meeting with Ryan who offered his help. Seeing that nor Ryan or his husband were with him made Jonathan frown, but he couldn’t care much about that at this very moment.

Luke looked around them, his stern eyes landed on the unconscious hunter and frowned.

“Who’s this?”

“Chris.” Evan replied before Brock could.

“You mean, Chris the hunter?” Luke wondered, and Evan nodded with a sigh. He held Jonathan’s hand, frowning when he flinched at first.

“I’m sorry, Evan.” Brock apologized. “And you too, Jonathan. Alex is a stubborn boy, but I could’ve forced him to come back, but I was blinded by anger as well.”

He looked at Brian who clenched his jaw in anger, feeling offended that his mate was against him. If it wasn’t for the weird pull and hope in winning him back, Brian wouldn’t have accompanied him to this place nor saved Craig. 

“And who’s this?” Luke glared at Brian who fought the frown and smirked.

“Brian.” He presented himself with a grin. “And yourself?”

“What is this fucker doing here?!” Luke yelled, and Jonathan glowered at him. He ignored him looking at Evan for answers. The latter just nodded toward Brock.

“We met in the woods, and he insisted to come with me when he found out that I’m his mate.”

“You got some nerve?” Luke hissed walking toward him, but Diana stood his way.

“And who are you?” He madly asked the woman.

“Goddess Diana.” 

They all looked at Isabel who just showed up, Rafe behind her holding the grimoire of Goetia. Ashen eyes stared back at those golden pair of Diana, immensive power surrounded both of them, and was felt around the room by everyone.

“Isabel?”

“That’s not Isabel in control.” Diana explained to Evan. “Are you here to fix your mistakes, Luna?” Grudgingly, she added. 

The Luna ignored her snarky remark and looked at Jonathan with a smile. The latter seemed out of this world with a blank expression that could turn anyone into stone from fear.

“Delirious.” She called, and Jonathan smiled. Beautiful and glowing sapphires stared back at her.

“Mother.” Tearful, Jonathan called.

“Honey.” She hurried beside him and engulfed him in a hug. Jonathan’s hand tightened around her, tearing up.

The rest just stood there silent, even Diana had a gentle look staring at Jonathan as he cried. He looked like an angel, so innocent and pure that made her wonder. Could she be wrong, and this man could win against Lucifer?

Evan whispered something to Rafe, who bowed his head and called two of the guards to help him. Rafe carried Danny while the two men carried Chris, following Evan’s orders. The Alpha looked at his mate talking to the Luna, and silently asked everyone to follow and leave them alone to talk. Diana reluctantly did, Brian stuck to Brock like glue as he excused himself to go see his family really quick. 

They all gathered in his office. Evan made a few calls, trying to reach the shaman for help. While they waited for Tyler to join, Luke couldn’t help but wonder aloud after they filled him in on what happened to Alex.

“So, your kids do have vampiric powers? Why they never had access to it?”

Evan shrugged at both questions, wanting to know answers as well.

“Demons work in too many deceiving ways. The demon kings inside them work just as much, most probably used that power in their own benefit, greedily keeping it to themselves, feeding on it.” Diana explained.

“But this means that Hope should have access to her powers, being that she’s hosting an angel?” 

“Ariel must have her own reasons for hiding these powers from Hope.”

“Or, she could be as bad as the demons possessing my sons, feeding on her energy.” Evan sharply bit back.

“You of all people should know that Ariel is in our side, host of Aamon.” 

“Goddess,” Evan went on with a forced smile. “I don’t mean to offend you, but what side are we talking about? Because if you’re thinking that I’m in your side to hurt and kill Jonathan, you’re wrong.”

“You know that we have to.” She persisted, and he laughed dryly. 

“That’s all I’ve been hearing these past few days. As far as I know, this was your doing. You and the Luna contributed in this, and now you want to clean after your mistakes by killing an innocent soul.”

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off sternly.

“Do you know what that poor man out there went through? Huh?! The shit I put him through, losing his kid. Our daughter! Taking away his sons, rejecting him until he lost his mind and almost his life. He pushed through and survived, you should give credit for that.”

“Yes,” Luke backed him up. “I was there with him throughout all the wrong shits he went through. If it’s a demon, why don’t we just exorcise him and send him back to hell where he belonged?”

Agatha shook her head, her hands trembled as she stopped moving the beads of her rosary. 

“Lucifer isn’t just a demon you can exorcise. If he leaves Jonathan’s body, he’ll jump to another one, killing the first one in the process.”

Evan flopped down his office chair, furious.

“Then, why don’t we exorcise those that are hosted by the twins? You said it yourself that all of them should be there for Lucifer to wake up.”

Diana was the one to answer, threading carefully as she explained afraid to anger him more.

“Black magic was used to evoke them in the past, not going to be easy to exorcise them. If we try, we could kill them.”

“You mean, that we have to choose between saving Jonathan or his sons?” Luke confirmed, his voice laced with hopelessness. 

“Yes, in a way.” Diana softly said. “To wake Lucifer up or keep him safe, sacrifices need to be made. Soul or Blood, and one was already sacrificed.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your daughter, Alexandria, was the first sacrifice.”

Luke gasped, and Evan sat there shocked, before tears poured freely down his face. He now understood why Hope was saying that Alexandria shouldn’t have died that easily and that something else was in the matter.

“No.” He whispered, refusing to believe what was implied.

“I’m sorry but that’s the truth. You almost killing your mate, Lucifer’s host, and your former mate poisoning him, sacrifices had to be made to keep the host intact and Lucifer safe. Purson killed his host to keep Jonathan alive.”

“Shit.” Luke had both hands over his mouth, feeling nauseous by what he just learned. Evan, though, looked lost and on the verge of losing his cool and start a fit.

“This could never leave this room.” Agatha warned. “If Jonathan learn this, we don’t know what could happen.”

“You’re right.” Diana added. “I know you noticed, Evan. Your mate is losing himself. He’s losing the battle against that sinister being within him, and I’m afraid we don’t have much time.” 

Evan shook his head crying. Luke was still in shock unable to speak.

“If we don’t act fast, now that the other kings had awoken, they’ll sacrifice your sons as well to wake Lucifer up.”

“N-No, I can’t.” He sobbed, slamming his palm on his desk in frustration. “I can’t do this. I can’t help you kill him. . . Jonathan is everything to me. I’m lost without him. After what he’d been through, doesn’t he deserve to live happy and in peace?”

“He does.” Agatha muttered sadly. “He will, knowing that he wasn’t the reason his kids died. You think he’ll be himself after the hell-beast would wake up. Jonathan will be alive, yes, but not in control over himself. Forever living in a dark place, inside his body, imprisoned and unable to set his soul free.”


	8. Chapter Seven

*Rejected*

Warning! Mild Smut ahead!

 

A mischievous grin pulled on Alex's face watching Logan tremble. He titled his head, studying this hunk of a man, licking his lips satisfied.

"Alex," the man stuttered. "I know you're not yourself right now."

Alex giggled and pushed him against the wall of runes he prepared while Logan was unconscious. The latter looked around the dump place, trying to find his way out.

"Logan." Alex purred, pressing his naked body against his. Looking at those jewels-like eyes, he couldn't help but submit to them. They reminded him of Axel's, although these looked sinister compared to those innocent pair.

He couldn't deny that he liked him but the anger he felt for his parents' death by the hand of his pack, made him direct his fury at him. Logan remembered when Axel looked nervous and flustered as he explained the mate thing to him, smiling ecstatically when he kissed as an answer. Logan enjoyed kissing him, loving how Axel would blush deeply and his eyes would glow immediately, filled with hope.

He hated himself when he crushed that soul, spewing some shit about how he felt disgusted to be with him. It was all lies, that he knew. But he couldn't bring himself to forgive his pack for what they did, fixating his anger at him.

He snapped out from his thoughts when he felt Alex's hand inside his jeans.

"Alex!" He exclaimed, alarmed. The other grinned, biting his lip naughtily and winked.

"I want to try something."

Logan didn't know if he willingly gave in or some dark power forced him to. He allowed the demon possessed boy to strip him naked, even moaning when he started kissing his neck and sucking down his throat.

"This is fun." Alex giggled, spreading kisses down his body to his crotch, licking his lips in the process. Logan's cock spontaneously responded, twitching and asking for attention, suddenly feeling hot allover that was cooled down only with those cold lips.

"Alex." He breathed when he held his shaft in his cold hand, gently stroking it while staring up at him with a sexy grin.

Logan tried to remind himself that this was Alex not Axel, but the resemblance was uncanny. All he could see, was innocent Axel between his legs, holding his hardening desire and breathing against the tip driving him insane.

"Ah, mmm, yes." He grunted when Alex took him in his mouth, bobbing his head as he fondled his balls. Logan's eyes never leaving those blue pair, getting more enticed by those rosy puffy cheeks, filled with him.

Alex moaned too, stroking himself while he pleasured him. Hearing his moans, Logan closed his eyes and gave in fully, sweating from the heat in the pit of his stomach.

"Damn." He cursed when Alex took his shaft out of his mouth, giving it few harsh strokes. He stood up, his cold hands massaging his body up to his neck, where they rested on his cheeks.

"Kiss me, Logan."

The pure face of Axel morphed in front of him and he obliged, holding him by the back of his head as he hungrily kissed him. He could feel him smiling against his lips as they sucked on each other's tongues. The kiss felt wrong, bad, yet hot and irresistible. Logan found himself drowned in this sensual haze, in the back of his mind he knew he'd regret it.

"Take me." Alex panted when they pulled apart. Logan felt like the animal within him took control as he flipped their positions, pinning Alex against the wall. He stared at him for a moment, looking at the mess he made, before he found himself kissing him again. His hand traveled down his toned back to his firm ass, pinching it.

"Nnn, Logan." He moaned against his mouth when he used his pre-cum as lubricant, lifting his legs for him to straddle his hips, as he slowly penetrated him.

They both hissed from the pain that came first, then both groaned when lust overruled their senses. Their moans, sex sounds echoed in the cave. Alex had his head back laughing euphorically as Logan pounded his ass. He suddenly looked up with that sinister look, winking at him before he buried his face in his neck. He felt his lips against the soft skin of his neck, flicking his tongue as he licked him, before he felt him sink his teeth in.

Although it was painful, feeling a burning sensation in his chest and all, it was also satisfying and lewd that Logan lost his self-control and sped up his thrust for them both to reach release.

Alex pulled away, demon eyes stared back at him with a smirk. He watched him lick the blood off his lips then kissed him, both moaned as they climaxed.

"This should be interesting."

Logan didn't understand at first until angry and confused pair of blue eyes looked back at him. The symbols on the walls behind Alex disappeared, and the sigil of Beleth that was carved in his chest was gone as it suddenly appeared. This made him realize what he did. He mated with Alex.

 

Screams filled the house, Evan found himself again hurrying toward Axel's room followed by the rest. Hope was frantically trying to wake her brother up, trembling as he wailed.

"What happened?" He asked the poor girl who looked as lost as him.

"His mate claimed someone else." They were all surprised by how calm Jonathan sounded. "I felt the same when you claimed Charlotte."

Evan just stared back at him, fear crept inside him by how cold Jonathan looked. Instead of hurrying to his son's aid, he was standing by the door like some stranger. It wasn't only him, the small crowd that gathered in the room were all creeped out by him.

"We'll lose him this way." Agatha said as she hastily started casting a spell. When nothing worked, she looked at Diana. "I know that you want them all dead, but Beleth won't let his host die but he'll take full control over him. And we both know that we don't want that thing in control."

Diana clenched her jaw before she sighed.

"His mate must have claimed or been claimed by a strong being, so we need to bound his soul with someone as strong. It could help, I guess."

"Hold on, if Logan mated with someone, does it mean . . ." Luke trailed off, and Evan looked sadly at his son. Of course, it had be him who'd suffer like Jonathan did. His gentle and caring son just like his dad. And he had to be betrayed by both his mate and brother. Twin brother!

This was just messed up.

Instead of wailing beside his son, he stood up and looked at Rafe who held crying Hope closer. He just nodded, and the man bowed.

"You can help him bond with someone else even if that person is unconscious?" He asked Diana, who shook her head and looked at Isabel.

"She can."

"Hold on." Luke objected. "Don't tell me you want to bound Axel to Chris?"

"What?!" Diana gasped. "You can't."

"Do you both have a better idea?"

"Yeah. To find some mateless wolf to claim him." Luke replied, and Diana nodded looking horrified.

Evan looked back at his son who was groaning in pain. "Do you know any strong mateless wolf around?"

"No." Luke replied truthfully, while Diana mused.

"Then shut up about it!" He snarled furious before he apologized. "I know that you're trying to help, but we all know that this is the only solution, for now. We can always cut the bond if we find any alternatives."

Although Luke didn't agree with him, he nodded looking at Axel's tearful face. He was still in his charmed sleep yet crying from the pain he was experiencing. Diana, though, was strongly against it.

"If Chris wakes up and mate with him, all my hard work will be ruined."

"He won't." Evan said in all conviction. "Chris hates wolves, so he won't even approve that he's bound to my son."

Diana laughed dryly, shaking her head. "Chris had already disobeyed me when he saw you other son, Alex. What if he wakes up and the bond is strong? What if he loses control and mate with him, we'd lose a power hunter? The only hunter there is to help us."

"I'll make sure he doesn't."

"This is a mistake. You're making a mistake, trust me."

"If that happens, we can always use that to our interest. I'm sure that Chris if he mates with Axel would then want him to stay alive." The Luna reasoned, and Diana growled.

"You and your failed plans! You'll be the end of them all!"

"Axel?!" Jonathan hurried to sit beside his son. His eyes quickly teared up as he looked at Evan.

"What happened to him?" He bellowed.

They all shivered, stunned and speechless.

"Axel, baby. I'm here, buddy." Jonathan hugged his son and cried softly in his hair. "Son, what's happening to you." He sobbed.

"His mate must've claimed someone." Luke explained, glaring at the coward bunch when they all moved away scared. All except for Evan who had a hardened and grim look, musing.

"Oh, no. My baby got rejected." Jonathan cried.

"He needs to mate with someone quick; someone powerful." Luke looked at Evan as he elaborated further. "We all think that Chris is the best choice for now."

"Chris, the hunter? No, no, no. There should be another one. I don't want my son to be with that ruthless man."

"There isn't." Evan said softly holding his son's hand. "For now, it'll be him."

Rafe walked in with two man carrying Chris, and he nodded for them to place him on the left side of the bed beside Axel. They all moved away, surprised that Axel stopped crying when Agatha placed Chris' hand in his. The Luna stepped forward, morphing to a frosty white wolf as she stood above them. A blinding light filled the room, then red strings appeared circling both of Axel and Chris. She breathed out and the air misted as she did her magic.

"You'll regret this." Diana promised. "I don't see anything good coming out from this."

She was ignored by everyone. Evan held Hope by his side, rubbing her back as they watched the Luna do her work. When she was done, they all looked at Chris whose wound healed up almost immediately, and at Axel whose face showed some color, snoring softly.

"I hope you're happy with what you did." Diana said gruffly. "And I hope you're ready for what it'll come next. You just doomed every chance to fight him."

She took one last look at Jonathan before she left. Evan looked at his mate, at that innocent face, and he knew what he should do next.

 

Brian stood there awkwardly watching Brock kiss his wife on the cheek and hugging his daughter. He felt a pang of jealousy when the woman rubbed her hands up Brock's chest, smiling.

"Oh, who's this?" Rose asked looking back at him while he stood by the front door. Brock refused to invite him in, so here he was standing like an unwanted animal by the door.

"That's no-one." Brock said making him glare at him and that woman of his.

"Don't listen to your dad, honey." Brian said to Rose with a dazzling smile. "I'm Brian, your father's lost-"

"Friend!" Brock exclaimed cutting him off. "He's my friend, which I stopped talking to for years now." He gritted his teeth with a glare while Brian smirked, happy to see the woman frown. He winked at her when Brock asked his daughter to leave them alone and mouthed the word 'Mate'.

"He's your mate?" She asked sadly when Rose went back to her room. Brian rolled his eyes when Brock kissed her as sort of insurance.

It hurts, though.

"So, how are we going to do this?" He asked with a smile, running his hand up the door frame, looking around as if he'd see an opening for him to get in. If only there was one, he'd rip that bitch's head off for touching his mate.

"Ignore him." Brock told her, but she continued to glare at him with a pout.

"I think you're between us and our relationship."

Brock marched toward him looking pissed.

"There is no us, Brian. There will never be any relationship."

"Really?" He pressed, hoping that Brock would get closer for him to get his hands on him. "As long as she's here there won't be." He offered.

Brock felt anger flare in him, walking to the door to slam it shut on the bastard's face. He did one mistake of trying to shove him back then close door, allowing Brian to get hold of his hand and pull him outside.

"What the fuck-"

Brock's eyes widened when he found himself being kissed by Brian. He tried to shove him away, frantically pushing at his chest, before he found himself kissing him back, overwhelmed with the pull that clouded his judgment. Brock moaned in his mouth, his hands rested on Brian's chest enjoying it, before a sob made him wake up from his daze.

"Asshole." He pushed Brian who smirked seeing the woman climb the stairs crying. His mate looked adorable trying to feign disgust, making him grin widely when he walked back in and slammed the door shut in anger.

It was now a waiting game, in which Brian knew he'd win.


	9. Chapter Eight

*Remember me while I'm gone.*

 

Alex stared in disbelief at Logan, unable to gather his thoughts to react. Both of them panting, sweating, too close for comfort. His horrified eyes trailed down Logan’s neck, and his breath shuddered realizing what happened. He no longer felt like throwing up, shoving Logan away which made him slip out with a groan, doubling in a corner and retching his guts out.

Alex felt like crying, repulsed the more he thought about it. The monster inside him snickering and mocking him for what he made him do. He hoped that this was nothing but a nightmare; that he didn’t just have sex with a man. And not any man. This was Logan! His brother’s mate and his sworn enemy.

Alex voided his stomach again, sobbing.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t!” He hissed, closing his eyes tight, hoping that he’d forget what happened. Hearing his voice just ingrained the realization inside his mind. It’s not real, he repeated like a mantra, hoping to open his eyes and he’d be back in his house, faraway from here. But, who was he kidding? This was real. He did just have sex with a man, mating with Logan.

Alex sobbed harder.

“I don’t know what happened.” Logan whimpered, and he sounded as shaken as him. “You look so much like him, and you were being seductive. I don’t know what happened, Alex. I’m sorry.”

“I said, I don’t want to hear it!” He locked his eyes with those panicking ones and that made him wish he wasn’t alive. Knowing that if Logan was looking this lost, his brother must be feeling way worse.

Oh my goddess, I mated with him.

That thought had him fall on the ground, silently crying, knowing that for sure his brother would hate him. He’d despise him for stealing his man. He mated with a man! Alex couldn’t stand the idea of it, wailing like a kid in the echoing cave.

 

Evan and Luke watched with terror-filled eyes Jonathan swinging his hips in the kitchen. He had some music playing in the background, whipping some cream out to garnish a cake he baked. From time to time he’d let out a soft giggle that scared them even more. They stood there knowing that this was for sure not normal. Luke feared that his best friend might be losing his mind again, while Evan feared the worst.

Jonathan wasn’t in control anymore.

“Baby, what are you doing?” He carefully asked. His husband jumped a bit startled to see them. He laughed musically, bringing his finger to his mouth, sucking the juicy cream in an innocent way, yet enticing to both men who were eagerly watching him.

“Uncle Evan!” He exclaimed and threw himself in his arms. “I’m making a cake! Today is my birthday.” He said with a pout.

Evan glanced at Luke who looked as bewildered as him, before looking down at his husband and forming a dry grin, patting his hair.

“Are you okay, Jonathan?”

He watched him lovingly with those captivating blue orbs of his.

“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?” He cocked his head to the side, looking so adorable.

Evan hesitated, caressing his cheek with a grim expression. This was worse than what he anticipated. Jonathan was having withdrawal, his mind finding an escape in the past.

“Can I talk to Delirious?”

Jonathan’s frown deepened. “Delirious?”

“Jonathan, how old are you today?” Luke stammered, and his husband scowled.

“Really, Luke? I’m fifteen today.” He scoffed.

Evan shared an awkward moment with Luke, both speechless and not knowing how to react. Jonathan, however, huffed and went back to what he was doing, garnishing his cake.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on?” Evan whispered.

They were all sitting in the dinning room, the table set by Jonathan to celebrate his birthday.

“Today isn’t even his birthday?!” He added.

Luke looked lost, Tyler beside him was just the same. Agatha had a faraway look thinking, while Isabel had that knowing look. She paled even more when all eyes were on her in anticipation. She gulped audibly, wiping her clammy hands in her jeans.

“It’s his doing.” She muttered cryptically then elaborated. “Luna says that this is Lucifer’s doing.”

“Why?” Evan sighed aggravated. “I mean, why would he make him think that he’s a child all-over again?”

“Think about it, Evan.” Agatha offered. “What happened after Jonathan’s fifteenth birthday.”

He blanched, and his throat felt dried mumbling. “I . . . No, he wouldn’t.”

She sadly nodded. “He’ll make him relive everything that happened in the past for him to lose himself and give in.”

She wasn’t that far from the truth, Lucifer had other plans for Jonathan.

 

Axel shifted closer to the warmth beside him, rubbing his nose in that sweet scent and humming pleased. He felt a hand tenderly touch his cheek; smiling, he opened his eyes. Hope had a gentle yet alarming grin, her eyes glinting with concern.

“Hope.” He called groggily, and like a mother, she laced her fingers through his hair.

“Are you feeling fine?”

He frowned at the question, then recalled the nightmare he had and how he freaked out. He remembered yelling at his father and the talk he had with Alex. He curtly nodded.

“I’m fine . . . I guess.”

She sat up and he did the same, stretching his arms and legs, feeling refreshed.

“Where’s dad?”

She seemed hesitant as if she was hiding something. Axel feared the worst. He feared that his parents were having a nasty fight, or something horrible happened to his twin brother.

“What is it?”

Hope couldn’t keep a straight face, bursting in tears and hugging him. She incoherently tried to explain to him what happened, through her sobs it was hard for him to understand. He did what he knew best, pulling her in a tight embrace and rocking her body softly, whispering comfortingly in her ears for her to calm down.

Moments later, she tiredly fell asleep, snoring. He tucked her in his bed, frowning at her flustered face and the black circles around her eyes. He closed his bedroom door and hurried down the stairs where he hoped he’d find his parents. There was no surprise to find Tyler and Luke in the house sitting with his father, Evan. He scowled when he met his eyes, still feeling uncomfortable from what he witnessed in the dream- the memory.

They all looked shocked when he appeared in the dinning room, a stranger was with them, whispering something to his father that made him stand up hastily. Axel looked around when the scent of dark chocolate and strawberries engulfed his nostrils, knowing quite well who’d be baking.

“Dad?” He questioned when everyone seemed to be suspiciously careful. It seemed as if they didn’t want him to be here.

He watched him stop what he was doing, whipping his head around and furrowing his brows. It took him a moment before tears gathered in his eyes, dropping everything and taking long strides to embrace him.

“Axel.” He sobbed.

He buried his face in his dad’s neck, taking in that calming scent. He looked up at the others, all seemed shocked yet relieved.

“I’m fine, dad.”

“Jonathan?” Evan warily touched his dad’s shoulder.

“Evan, it’s getting worse.” He sobbed in an alarming tone, letting go of Axel and hugging his husband.

“What’s wrong?” Axel asked bewildered, looking between them. “And where is Alex?”

Jonathan sobbed harder at the mention of his brother, a look of dread morphed on everybody’s faces.

“He’s fine. . . I think.” Evan replied, rubbing Jonathan’s back. Axel had this weird urge of pulling his dad away from Evan’s arms. “I’ll explain everything later, son.”

A growl slipped past his lips for calling him son, and hurt crossed his father’s features, dryly smiling.

“I’ll get your dad to calm down and we’ll talk.”

Axel nodded, blushing for acting this way. But he couldn’t blame himself or his wolf. He felt possessive and protective over his dad, and knowing what his father did to him in the past labelled him as dangerous.

He watched him pull Jonathan up the stairs, looking back at the rest in the room. They were talking in a hush tone amongst themselves, Axel quirked a brow at all of them feeling lost.

“Can someone tell me what’s going on?”

The old woman grinned, her white eyes so empty and eerie that had him shiver in discomfort.

“How are you feeling, darling?”

“Um, fine. . . I think.” He blushed timidly as he added. “I don’t want to come out rude, but who are you?”

She smiled. “I’m your great grandma.” He didn’t know how to react to that, frowning slightly in bewilderment. She continued with a scowl. “Jonathan is my grandson, not that idiot.”

He recovered from the shock, giggling musically at what she said. He felt himself relax around her, walking closer to the group and took a seat.

“So, Alex is still not back yet?”

Luke and Tyler shared a look, the latter formed a strained grin.

“Not yet, but Brock assured us that he’s fine.”

Axel nodded, deep down knowing that his brother was fine just something felt wrong. They fell into an awkward silence, Axel stared at the flight of stairs where his parents disappeared, hoping his father to come back quickly and explain what was going on. His great-grandma, though, changed seats to be next to him and held his hand.

“There is something you need to know.”

 

Evan pulled his mate to his lap, comforting him while he cried softly in his arms. He gently gripped his chin, wiping his tears with the back of his hand, smiling at that flustered face.

“It’ll be alright, darling. Everything will be just fine.”

Those glossy blue eyes stared at him sadly, beautifully twinkling from the wetness of tears. He surprised him when he leaned up, tenderly pecking his lips. The act was so pure and innocent that turned Evan on in an instant.

He knew that his husband was seeking comfort from a different kind. Although he never initiated anything sexual interaction before, Evan wasn’t going to deny him now. He softly laid him down on the bed, climbing on top of him. He dropped his face to his mate’s neck, licking where his mark was, his chest rumbling with a proud growl coming from his wolf. His nose trailed down his husband’s throat, tickling his soft skin that had him let out a small moan. Just by hearing that small, inaudible moan, it unleashed the lustful beast within him, kissing Jonathan’s jaw up to his lips, claiming them.

It's been few days since he kissed him, and Evan found himself drown in the pleasure of feeling them, nibbling on them and sucking on the pout of his lover’s lips. Jonathan moaned, lacing his elegant fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. He seemed as hungry as him for that skinship, rocking his body upward and grinding his hot groin on his.

Then, everything seemed too fast. Jonathan was removing both their clothes, urgently ripping some articles in the process. He didn’t even stop kissing him for air, as if he didn’t need it. Everything seemed wrong and out of place, which made Evan pull away and stop him.

“Jonathan, hold on.” He looked at that innocent, beaten puppy expression. His mate was a mess, sweating and panting, reddened cheeks that rendered him adorable.

“Uncle Evan, please.” He begged.

Evan found himself jumping away, horrified when crimson red eyes met his own filled with so much mischief. Jonathan, or rather the beast inside him, let out a bubbly laugh, watching him.

“Lucifer?” He stuttered, and the other sat up on the bed, biting his lower lip nodding.

 

Axel held a horrified expression listening to the woman explaining the situation they were in. So, he apparently was possessed by a demon called Beleth, and she told him that he was in control for a moment earlier, but luckily, she was there to stop him. She told him about his siblings as well, and of course the beast possessing his dad.

His breath shuddered listening to all of this, for the first time he felt terrified. He reached in to talk to his wolf but was met with utter silence. He panicked, tears quickly gathered in the corner of his eyes.

“My wolf isn’t responding!” He locked his rattled eyes with those voided ones of Agatha, quivering. “Was Damon hurt? Will he control me again?”

Agatha held his hands, those white orbs showing so many emotions, one of which was sadness.

“No, darling. You need to calm down. . . I know why your wolf isn’t responding, and that was the second thing I needed to discuss with you.”

She eyed him as if she could see him, nodding to herself.

“I need you to be calm about this. . . It’s not easy, and I don’t want you to lose yourself to the filthy demon inside you. Okay, Axel?”

Tearful, he nodded.

“Your father’s Beta told us how he and Alex went looking for Lord Brian. . . Your brother lost control when he met his mate and things happened.”

“He found his mate?!” He hiccuped.

She hesitated for a second, then continued.

“Yes. It was a powerful hunter called Chris. . . Your mate’s uncle.”

Axel frowned, slipping his hands away to wipe his face.

“Was?” He pressed, and she gulped audibly, a bit amazed at the sharpness of this boy. He expected the worse, exclaiming. “He killed his mate?!”

She shook her head, glancing back at Luke and Tyler who mirrored her grim expression. Axel eyes widened, fresh tears brimming his stunning eyes.

“Logan? Did he hurt him?”

Although he would’ve felt it if something bad happened to his mate, but he couldn’t be sure. Their faces held a promise of something bad that happened. What worse could happen than Alex killing his own mate, hurting Logan, or maybe both.

“The demon inside him took over and he hurt Chris. And when he was cornered, he fled the scene with Logan.” She paused watching him, and Axel furrowed his brows confused. He just wished she could get to the point already. The anticipation was killing him.

“Few hours earlier, you started screaming feeling the loss of a mate bond.” She cut herself off when he moved away, shaking his head refusing to listen.

He killed him! His twin brother killed Logan and they did something for him not to feel the pain.

“Axel?” Luke crouched in front of him. He reached over to hold his trembling hands, but he retracted them away, looking back at his great-grandma.

“Logan . . . is dead?” He sniffled.

Luke sighed. “I don’t think so, Axel. . . The pain you felt was the severe of mating bond, not him dying. It would’ve been worse if he was dead.”

“What do you mean?” He asked in a small voice. A hint of certainty in his tone that brought tears to Luke’s eyes. A single tear gliding down his pale cheek, this fragile boy reminding him so much of Jonathan in the past.

“Alex mated with him, breaking your bond.”

Axel stood up only to sit down again, a wave of nausea engulfed him. He wanted to throw up, feeling out of air. He doubled at the sudden pain in his stomach, weeping quietly.

“I’m sorry, Axel. I’m sure that Alex didn’t do it on purpose. . . The demon inside him must’ve done it.”

Axel plugged his ears with the palm of his hands, refusing to listen to him. This was totally unfair. Why did it have to be him to suffer? And why did it have to be him to forgive others? Axel was well aware that he wasn’t as strong as his dad, who forgave his father and gave him a second chance. Even though everyone thought of him as innocent and pure, reminding everyone of his dad as a young boy. Axel in the end was human, and each one has their own traits. His were worse than what people expected from him, so he had to keep the act.

He was a hateful, vengeful and spiteful person.

 

“Your husband is so weak.” The beast mocked. “Not Luna material, why did you accept him?”

He stood up, flaunting Jonathan’s naked body.

“Oh, wait!” He feigned recollection. “You did reject him at first, but he had to weasel his way back into your once perfect life.”

Evan was too stunned for him to formulate any comebacks. He just stared at his mate walking seductively his way, a strange smirk pulling at those delicious lips he adored.

“Did you know that when everything gets overbearing, your mate hides away in the sweet memories of the past? Pathetic, don’t you think?”

Cold hands moved up his chest, sensually touching him allover and resting on the back of his neck. Jonathan’s innocent face wasn’t innocent anymore with those red sinister eyes and twisted grin, yet that expression was enticing and alluring for him.

“I just need to push him a couple more times and he’d break, allowing me full control. . . And with me, baby, you’ll be invincible.” He purred.

Evan gained his senses back, shoving him away.

“What do you want from him? Why don’t find someone more powerful than him to possess?” He bitterly asked, and the other snickered, lying on the bed and propping himself on his elbows in an inviting way.

“You’re all fools. . . You think I’d choose someone weak from the beginning?”

He allowed him a moment to think, nodding when realization hit Evan.

“This was all planned?” The beast nodded. “Jonathan. . . is the end result you were aiming for?”

He nodded again and sighed. Dropping his head on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

“None of you thought of who Jason was and why him of all people I decided to possess. . . Why did I jump from generation to the next, nor why I am not fully in control?”

Evan swallowed thickly, intrigued to know the ultimate plan.

“And I’m not about to tell you why.” He giggled. “Just know that soon enough I’ll be back to my whole glory, and I’d suggest that you choose my side.”

“What do you mean?” Evan stepped closer only to find Jonathan’s eyes closed, his mate snoring softly.

What did he mean?

 

“Stop following me?” Alex marched in disdain with Logan following like a trained dog. He had that hurtful look, staring at him in despair.

“I can’t.” He whimpered under his breath, but Alex heard him.

“I don’t want you here, Logan. And I’m sure as hell that my brother wouldn’t want to see you either?”

I just hope he’s fine, he thought. Nakedly, jogging back home. For some reason he couldn’t turn to a wolf, feeling drained of energy.

“I don’t know, Alex. This is weird for me, okay?” Alex stopped and looked back at him. Logan looked lost and regretful, with tearful eyes staring back at him. “It hurts when you ask me to stay away. It hurts to see that repulsed expression on your face when you look at me. . . I have this urge to hold you, to love you and protect you. I can’t help it.”

Alex looked back as if he’d resume walking before sighing, knowing quite well how the mating pull worked. He as well felt his heart break into two whenever he yelled at him or saw that pitiful expression he held.

“You can come, but you’ll stay out while I talk to my brother.”

Logan eagerly nodded, a small smile pulled at his lips following him.

This isn’t good, Alex inwardly groaned.


End file.
